The Enemy of my Enemy
by WritingLevel-Meh
Summary: An AU which sees the survival of unlikely villains coming together to crash the Drake brothers' party as they barrel through Scotland hunting down Avery's much desired treasure. But their 'alliance' isn't all fun and games, there are certain... obstacles which need to be overcome first. Everyone loses something, right? This isn't your average villainous story, trust me. (READ IT)
1. Rude Awakening

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

This story is set following the events of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and cuts into the events of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Certain characters' survival will be explained as the story goes on.

* * *

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tock.

The clock on the far wall continued to tick away the seconds, the sound seeming louder in the otherwise silent room and it was occasionally accompanied by a page being turned. The silence, however, was soon disturbed by three firm raps against the door.

A pause. "Who is it?" Came the heavily accented question from the man in the wheelchair as he marked his page.

The visitor slowly opened the door and walked in.

"Ah, Miss Marlowe, I see you've woken up" He placed his reading material aside and folded his hands together.

Katherine Marlowe observed her surroundings for a long quiet moment, taking in several of the books lining the shelves, some of which particularly caught her eye. Slowly, she shifted her gaze towards the foreign man and tried to look as dignified as possible, despite not knowing her surroundings or the man in front of her.

The dark-haired man shifted around his desk, wheeling himself around to the side of the coffee table which seemed to house an array of biscuits and two still steaming pots, one of coffee and the other of tea. "Come. Have a seat. Tea?" He offered, taking up one of the tea cups and already starting to pour.

"Yes, that would be lovely" She took her time walking over, taking the seat opposite him, but he seemed to notice that she was sitting on the edge. She was suspicious and prepared to fight if things turned against her. Good. She should be.

"Sugar?" He prompted, when he noticed her staring at his legs, seeming to try to decipher the extent of his injury from behind the blanket.

"Oh, no, thank you" The senior woman subtly looked away, wearing a thin smile as she took the cup.

Another moment of silence passed as the man poured himself a cup of coffee, adding two small spoons of sugar but otherwise taking it black. She couldn't exactly place his age. Maybe somewhere in his thirties, but his disability didn't seem accustomed to yet which suggested to her that it was either recent or had only recently been dealt with. Marlowe waited for him to take a long sip before slowly bringing her own cup up to try her tea.

Cardamom, milk tea, naturally sweet and refreshing, it was a good choice but not one she had enjoyed before.

"I am sure you have a lot of questions for me, Miss Marlowe" Once she seemed to relax, he began to speak in a slow and measured tone, pronouncing his letters carefully and with deliberation.

Faded green eyes watched him, waiting patiently to hear what he had to say, but he also seemed to be waiting on her to ask. Clever tactic. It would mean that he only provided answers to the questions she posed, but also determined what she knew based on the questions she asked. She would have to craft them carefully and so she decided to try very small questions, then try to find the rest out on her own if this man proved to be a threat.

"Who are you?" Marlowe asked firstly, small and simple but with enough room to find out any information past his name.

"I am Atoq Navarro, an archaeologist doing digs her and there to find out about the past. The past is," He paused to drink some coffee. "very interesting. Don't you think?" The name was somehow familiar but she couldn't currently attribute any particular information to it and so she wore a polite smile.

"Indeed" She answered shortly, pretending to be distracted by the biscuits as she carefully set her tea cup in its saucer then picked a Bourbon biscuit from the selection since it was the most familiar thing to her beside the Jammie Dodgers, but she wasn't willing to get jam stuck in her teeth. That would be simply embarrassing, but some Custard Creams would have at least been decent. But it appeared that no one quite did tea time like they did back home.

Now if only she knew where the packet was.

"Nice place you have here. Rather quiet" She commented idly, maybe trying to seem more relaxed. "Nice for recovery too" That comment was certainly not as innocent, and she watched his expression carefully as he sipped his coffee.

"Yes, wonderful, isn't it, Miss Marlowe? Or is it Mrs?" So, he already knew her name, but that particular question almost made her suspicious.

"Not likely" She answered. Who had time to get married? She was never as simple as all that, settling down was just out of the question.

"Oh? Then the man with you was your son?" That hit a nerve and Marlowe almost scolded him for assuming she was old enough to mother a son as old as her partner, but she was distracted.

Was it really Talbot? Had Talbot been the one to get her out alive and now this was one of his associates? No, no, Talbot wouldn't run to anyone for help, she had taught him better. Either way, if he was well, then…

"Gentleman in a suit. Or what's left of one. Had a British passport just like yours" Atoq cut into her thoughts and it confirmed to her that they didn't know each other.

"Ah, yes, you've found our papers, what a relief," Marlowe sipped some more tea. "I was worried we wouldn't be able to go home again" She went on briefly, still trying to gauge how much this archaeologist knew.

"All in due time, Miss Marlowe" He promised.

"And my companion? Is he well? I admit, I'm a little groggy still" The woman inquired, hoping to at least find out where Talbot was. But this man… he was making her uneasy, he was too guarded to be a simple philanthropist. Maybe he was after money, maybe something else.

But whatever it was, Katherine Marlowe had no intention of being blackmailed into submission. No. Katherine Marlowe did not bow to anyone and she would show the whole world that if she needed to. Starting with this… man. How could she even describe him?

"He is recovering nicely. I will show you to him once you finish your tea. Would be a shame to dispose of a nice cup, no?" Atoq told her, drinking his coffee at his own leisure.

"Oh yes, of course" She pretended to take her time too, not to appear too concerned over Talbot's wellbeing lest she gave off the wrong impression that he meant more to her. A moment passed in which she recalled a brief memory. Talbot had been calling for her. Suddenly her head hurt and she couldn't resist the urge to massage her temple. What exactly happened?

"Are you alright, Miss Marlowe?" Her companion inquired and it might have peeved her that he sounded almost concerned about her.

"Certainly. Just getting an awful headache. Is it just me or is it chilly around here?" She asked to divert his attention.

"That would be because of the snow" He told her in understanding, briefly reaching across his desk to retrieve a small packet of painkillers which he set down before her and then the jug of water to pour her a glass.

Marlowe watched him quietly from behind her fringe, trying to place this _kindness_ against his caution. Maybe she had been overthinking it. Maybe he was just a decent person, but a little on the reserved side.

No.

Marlowe wouldn't write him off just yet, and focused on taking one of the pills in silence.

The weather told her they were no longer anywhere near the Rub' al Khali, and a brief look in the direction of the window suggested that it was also snowing heavily outside, making it difficult to see much or determine the time of day. Her attention was brought to the clock ticking away busily on the mantelpiece. A little past five, in the evening presumably.

Her tea was finished in another two sips and she waited to see if he would do anything but he also seemed to have finished his coffee.

"Follow me" He instructed shortly, manoeuvring his wheelchair around the office and towards the door.

Marlowe had wanted to explore and get a feel for her surroundings earlier, but the minute she stepped out of her allocated room, she had found a man in black posted outside her door, suggesting the owner was two things- very rich and someone that needed protection. Given his condition, Marlowe wasn't surprised, but she hadn't seen any security guards on the way to the office and even now there didn't seem to be any.

Meaning… if she ever needed to, she could easily take him out. This was good progression, the woman supposed, and focused on the turns and the mapping of the place. Everything seemed to be on ground level and the building itself was not too big, more like a holiday home if anything.

They finally turned a corner and she spotted two men standing around the door. Neither were carrying a visible weapon, just like the one that escorted her, but that didn't mean that they didn't have concealed ones. In countries where arms were illegal, goons like these wouldn't display their weapons. So that could possibly mean that they weren't in the US either.

Marlowe watched closely as the door was opened for the disabled man but there didn't seem to be a need for a key which suggested it was always open. Quietly, she followed him in and was immediately assaulted with a strong scent that one would normally associate with hospitals. Her eyes immediately darted around, taking in the medical equipment and the steady beeping of the heart monitor.

Talbot was bed bound, covered heavily in bandages and stuck full of tubes, a neck brace supporting his head and an oxygen mask keeping him breathing in his unconscious state. His face was gaunt and his skin deathly in its pallor. He seemed to have lost a lot of weight too since he had been in this condition for some time.

"Don't worry, the doctor said he's recovering nicely" Atoq told her as he moved to the far side of the bed, watching her intensely through deep dark eyes that seemed to gleam. He was watching, waiting for a reaction perhaps.

"I am not worried" The British woman replied, more vehemently than she had intended but she hoped that it would go unnoticed. He didn't say anything as she observed Talbot's sleeping form and noted the bandages around his abdomen.

Just what had happened after she lost consciousness?

"How long have we been here?" She asked in a cool tone.

Atoq seemed to pause with a thoughtful hum as though trying to think of the exact number. "Two weeks at most. This is the third" He finally answered, and saw her expression harder.

"And you," She shifted around a bit. "Found us on one of your archaeological digs? Before… all this?" She gestured to his covered legs almost inquisitively, trying to keep her tone light not for fear of offending him but in a way of making it seem like she was just curious.

Atoq Navarro's expression very briefly, though she knew what she was looking for, faltered and there was a flash of something dark shadowing the already deep brown hues.

"… Marlowe?" The voice that interrupted his silence was croaky and dry and came from the bed bound man that had been woken by the familiarity of her voice.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

I have quite high prospects for this story and have carefully planned everything out to tie it in as smoothly as possible even if it's technically an AU fic. I guess the thing that really inspired me with this one is my love for all the characters of Uncharted (villains and heroes), but I just wished that not all the villains would have been killed off at the end of the games.

Please R&R.

WritingLevel-Meh


	2. In which Talbot has the Wrong Idea?

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

This story is set following the events of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and cuts into the events of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Certain characters' survival will be explained as the story goes on.

This chapter is set several days after Talbot's waking in the previous one.

* * *

Talbot quietly walked down the hallway, his bare feet feeling cold against the tiled flooring but he had little alternative and just pulled the borrowed night robe tighter around his body. He knew Scotland to be cold in the winter, but tonight was especially that and he wondered if it was okay to sit near the fire and perhaps read a book or two until sleep came to him. His injuries had gotten significantly better despite the ever-present stiffness in his neck and shoulders, but he rarely found it in himself to ask for help to apply the treatment the doctor had prescribed for him and didn't dare disturb Marlowe. It was a struggle to manage life with the neck brace alone.

Coming up to the main room, he was relieved by the feel of the plush carpet under his feet, though his gaze soon fell upon the other person in the room. Atoq was quietly typing away on his laptop, the clicking of the keys rarely stopping except to be replaced by the clinking of ice chunks against a glass of tequila as it was drank from. More importantly, the fire in the hearth was blazing away, its merry flames emitting heat that Talbot could feel against his cool skin. Not sure whether to greet him or not, the British man straightened out his appearance as best as he could and then ventured in.

"Evening" He remarked simply, not wanting to seem like he was nervous as he moved to take the unoccupied armchair.

"Good evening, Mr. Talbot" Came the accented response, dark eyes remaining fixed on the artificial light of the screen.

Talbot could tell that he had been at it for a while, judging by the collection of folders neatly piled on the coffee table and the heaviness of his eyes which suggested he was tired. A moment of silence passed as Talbot eyed the books lining the shelves. He had to admit, there was quite a lot of decent material there which was, he supposed, good enough to pass the time with.

"Help yourself" Atoq stated, as though sensing the enquiry before it was made.

"Can I really?" Talbot was half relieved that he didn't have to ask and moved carefully towards the shelves, spending at least ten minutes wondering what would be a good read for the night. He wanted something interesting and informative but not too taxing on the brain so that he could drift off without getting too mentally stimulated.

The typing ceased, the whirring of the machine being turned down and Talbot half turned to see if the man was leaving, but almost jumped when he found him near.

"Try this" The Hispanic man suggested, reaching for a particular book which was slightly out of the range of his hand.

Talbot, by instinct and willingness to help, reached for it also but froze when their hands touched awkwardly.

"My mistake" He quickly apologised, retracting his hand slowly.

Navarro's hand was surprisingly cold, despite the alcohol consumption and yet not in an unpleasant nor sweaty way.

"Here" He didn't seem to see it as much of a problem though and offered him the book.

Talbot took it slowly, not sure why he was overly conscious of avoiding contact again, and had to mentally tell himself to look at the book. The title read 'Catherine the Great'.

"Was she not that salacious Russian empress from the 18th century?" The British man had to admit, it was not a pick he expected, nor, in all honesty, thought Navarro the kind of man to have it in his collection at all.

"Salacious is a hard word to put into context if you intend to use it to overlook the achievements of a person," Atoq replied, shifting his wheelchair back towards the coffee table to pick up his glass and refill it. "Catherine II was German by origin, married into the Romanov by Peter III. She really changed Russia during that time, while it was true she was promiscuous, she was also clever no doubt" He explained briefly and then focused on his files, adding notes to a small journal.

"I suppose I would enjoy something like that, cheers then" Talbot agreed, settling back in his armchair to start reading.

The book was very educational and interesting, and he read for a long time in the pleasantly quiet atmosphere, reaching five chapters in. Only then did his mind start to wander, clouded over in a blissful haze of oncoming sleep but there were words that stood out to him even in this state.

 _Catherine, despite her old age, had a real love for men, especially those of a younger age whom she kept intimate relationships with._

The book itself was more of a historical biography and had nothing of the indecent nature, and yet Talbot's mind strayed at this idea, to the woman whose existence was so important to him.

Katherine Marlowe.

The images conjured by his brain had him roused from his sedated condition with alarm, and he mentally scolded himself for letting it get that far. Talbot's face felt extremely hot and he was uncomfortable in his seat, shifting slightly to cross his legs and feeling like a stupid schoolboy with nothing better to do than to inspect the cleavage of his teacher as she leaned over to offer him support. No, that would not do at all! He was not like that, and Marlowe was not like this… this woman!

Blinking away the bleariness, he focused his grey hues back on the book, trying to let the feeling pass as he read on. But by chapter six, he was frustrated with the constant need to read and re-read information that his brain refused to process and so laid the book carefully closed, intending to retire for the night to the privacy of his own room.

"Guess I should head on to bed" He announced to no one in particular, giving his back to the paralysed man as he stretched stiffly.

"Tired, huh?" Navarro briefly looked towards the clock to check the time, finding that it was a little past midnight. "I should be going too" He realised, marking the page of his journal before he retrieved the other paper files and his laptop to place them on his lap.

Talbot decided to return the damned book to its place on the shelf, carefully as to not damage it despite the strong urge to do so. Atoq was mumbling to himself as he replaced the bottle of tequila in one of the cabinets and then manoeuvred his way towards the door. Talbot took his time in following, hoping that the flush could pass without the need to remove his robe since Atoq's slimmer build meant that the borrowed trousers were quite tight and the feel of the friction was painstaking. If only he had actually worn the boxers offered to him, but he had not thought it a good idea despite them being brand new. Now he was regretting it.

Navarro paused as he reached his office door, unlocking it with a key, and Talbot realised that he was intending to put the files back first. Unfortunately, his need to use both his hands let most of the folders slip from his lap and drop all over the floor, earning a frustrated grunt of 'mierda' and the man struggled to reach down for all the papers.

Talbot froze, his instinct telling him to move and help, but his head telling him that it wasn't such a great idea. After watching him struggle for an entire two minutes, Talbot realised just how painful and bad his condition was in comparison to his own. It didn't look like the man had much, if any, control of his body below the waist.

"Let me help" He moved over guiltily, surprised by the flash of anger in the other's dark eyes, but all he did was silently collect what he could reach while Talbot picked up the rest.

"Thank you" Came the quiet words, and he seemed terribly distraught so Talbot had to ask.

"Are you alright, Navarro?" He inquired slowly as he handed him the collection of items, briefly glancing what looked like a sarcophagus made of gold, in a sketch with small notes made in black ink, but was distracted by a hand snatching it away.

"I'm fine" Atoq insisted, moving into his office and shutting the door behind him.

Talbot stood in the dark hallway for a long moment, his nose full of the scent of the man's cologne and his hair somewhat raised from the cold. "Could at least use less cologne" He scoffed, now wondering what to do with himself. He decided in the end, to head back towards the main room to collect a book and read in bed.

However, his plan was disrupted when he heard the familiar click-clack of elegant heels against the tiled flooring, and for a reason he couldn't quite fathom himself, he hid around the corner, waiting in alert silence.

There wasn't another woman in this place, so he knew it was Marlowe, but briefly pondered what she would be doing out of bed at such a late hour and if she was going to the main room too and if so, whether he should join her or strictly avoid doing so until the next morning. She hadn't talked to him much since he had woken up, although that was probably because the doctor had insisted that he should remain in bed undisturbed.

The footsteps paused earlier than expected and a knock was heard, a brief moment of silence and then the door being opened then closed. Talbot peered out of his hiding place to see if she had entered the office, probably to discuss something with Navarro.

At such a late hour? Not likely. But what could be so burningly important that she couldn't wait until morning when they were all sat around the breakfast table? Unless it was something that she didn't want to share out loud.

For some reason, Talbot felt unusually ignored and his chest tightened painfully. He felt nervous and there was an uncomfortable soreness in his neck and the balls of his feet.

Not knowing what he was doing, he walked away in the direction of the kitchen, hoping to find something to distract himself with. The light, when it was turned on, made him squint slightly as he looked around the big kitchen. Just like most holiday homes, it was a fancy place with herbs and spices lining one side of a wall and a rich pantry kept near it. The island in the middle was the kind you would frequently stub your toes on if you weren't careful and was shadowed over by a collection of hung pots, pans, ladles and wooden spoons.

Talbot made his way around this space and made a beeline for the fridge, opening the unnecessarily large container to look inside. It was stocked well, just like the pantry, but seemed to house certain things he didn't expect, like a cheap six pack of beer and several plastic containers of mini-donuts frosted in chocolate and strawberry. Considering the fact Navarro liked his coffee black, he wondered if these were strictly for him, but didn't recall him having a particularly sweet tooth since he never had any biscuits at teatime or desserts after lunch. Either way, Talbot helped himself to a small portion of these donuts on a plate and endeavoured to find all the necessary things to make some tea.

Maybe after, he would attempt the work out the doctor had prescribed for him to ease the stiffness of his body, and the thought relaxed him as he carried his midnight snack to his room and forgot about Marlowe's untimely visit to Navarro.

* * *

"Pardon the intrusion" The woman spoke out to the otherwise quiet room, looking around the dimly lit office for the man she needed to talk to but he was nowhere to be seen. A door left slightly ajar on the wall behind his desk, however, told her he was near. It made sense that his office would be connected to other rooms considering his condition, but she didn't recall seeing another door down that particular corridor and assumed it was probably on the other side of the building.

Seeing an opportunity, the blonde quietly placed the tray of tea aside and moved around his desk to look for anything that might have given her some information. His desk was kept neat, not a single paper nor file left on it, and his laptop was closed. Marlowe threw a glance over her shoulder to check the door once more, then quickly tried the drawers of the desk.

"Locked. Of course" She mumbled to herself, switching the table top lamp on to check what kind of key might fit in the slots before opening the laptop up. It had been left on standby, disconnected from any network and protected by a password.

Marlowe didn't think she knew nearly enough about him to even try to guess the password and so she just quietly closed it again and switched the lamp off, turning around to inspect the wall cabinet. They too were locked and so she decided to move on, picking up the tray from the table once more.

Carefully balancing it, Marlowe made her way towards the door, lightly knocking on it and taking a deep breath in before wearing a polite smile.

"Mr. Navarro?" She called out again, waiting for a response. There was a moment's pause and shuffling.

"One moment, if you please" He replied almost urgently, and she curiously tried to peer in to see what the issue was.

She had yet to find anything personal about him and hadn't yet had the opportunity to look through any stray papers since he was never working directly in front of her, nor left her unsupervised with his things left out. He was crafty, she decided, but now was faced with a man struggling with something as basic as clothing himself.

The thing that surprised her, however, was that on his light athletic build was some bruising in large sections as though he had fallen over or took a beating, more noticeably on his under arm and some on his side. It probably explained his sometimes meek mannerism and stiff upper body movement which she had previously associated with his paralysis. Marlowe had a plan, and so she decided to make herself known.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" She asked, pretending not to have heard him clearly as she pushed the door open once his shirt was half on.

Navarro looked briefly like a deer caught in the headlight, but before he could say anything, she moved over.

"My mistake, I didn't hear you properly, maybe I am getting old" She pretended to be apologetic as she carefully set the tray down and moved hastily to help him at least button it. "Here let me help" The senior woman offered, strictly avoiding to meet his gaze so that he couldn't see her scheming grin.

"You really don't have to, I can handle myself, you know" Atoq stated, perhaps sounding a bit irritated to be 'helped' twice in the same day, but he was forced to relinquish his attempt to button his own shirt when he was challenged by her more deft fingers which then neatly folded the cowl neck over for him.

"Don't be silly, I know you can, but I have to repay the favour of you looking out for me and Talbot now, don't I?" She smiled politely and finished with a light pat to his chest, briefly noting the amount of medication he had, set to one side.

He had been applying some sort of anti-spasticity gel to his right shoulder and arm which probably explained his struggle with dressing himself and general favouring of his left despite it being his dominant hand. Atoq didn't say anything in reply, packing the stuff away.

"I bought you some chamomile tea since I knew you would be working late" Marlowe announced, bringing the tray over.

"I'm not much of a tea drinker" He admitted.

"I thought it would help you sleep" She added, holding the mug out to him anyway.

"Thank you" He took it slowly, sitting in an almost nervous silence.

Marlowe took the moment to inspect his room, hoping that it would give some indication about his personality and was met with a strange sight. There was a photo frame left on the bedside table with a photograph of two men, one being Atoq and the other an aged man with white hair. They were standing close, the elder's arm around Atoq's shoulders in an almost proud stance, and the thing which piqued her curiosity was that Navarro looked as strong and as healthy as ever, besides being a lot skinnier than he was currently, and he was clearly standing on his own feet.

The photo did not look very old, perhaps taken within the last five or six years at most.

The man in the wheelchair cleared his throat, and she was left with no real choice but to ask directly since it was obvious she had been staring.

"Your father?" Marlowe asked politely.

"Not a chance" He scoffed, wheeling his way over to the photo frame and briefly pausing in the action of lowering it. Gabriel Roman was dead, the man who loved reminding him of what he owed him.

 _And what about you, Navarro? Are you worth what I'm paying you?_

 _Really, Navarro, sometimes I think you left your brain back in that slum where I found you._

One condescending comment after another, one after another until he couldn't take it anymore.

In the end, Gabriel Roman became just an experiment to fulfil his own ends. Why did he keep this photo? As a reminder to never owe anyone anything again. Or maybe to remind himself that he wasn't ready to give up on getting his legs working again nor to give up his revenge on _Nathan Drake_.

He slapped the photo down so hard, he broke the glass, but didn't particularly care as he just took a deep calming breath in.

"You look close" She remarked experimentally. "… Is he still around?" Marlowe guessed that archaeology wasn't a particularly profitable trade, well, not unless you found some great dig and judging by Navarro's character so far, she probably would have known his name if he had found something remarkable.

"There are… fates worse than death, you know" He seemed to have regained his calm very quickly, and that was something Marlowe was growing wary of. He controlled his mood strongly, even if he also seemed to get ticked pretty quickly around topics that he didn't like.

"I'm sorry to hear that" She replied, assuming he meant the man was still alive, but perhaps plagued with an ailment. If Navarro had lost his ability to walk, and the man who was his partner in the business had a 'fate worse than death', then she assumed it had happened during a work accident- of course she didn't assume it had been of his own making.

Maybe a collapse or something of the sort, and this man beside him was in a hospital under intensive care. Whatever the case, Atoq Navarro was not a soft man if something like that had happened, she was guaranteed to find something on the net.

On to more important matters and what she had originally came here for.

"Can we go…" She picked up her cup of tea. "Shopping? Tomorrow?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Atoq's cruelty is infinite and Marlowe is really the crafty one who wants to... go shopping? It would help to get some new clothes; a lady needs pampering. Stick around to find out what happens next!

Please R&R.

WritingLevel-Meh


	3. Of Lost Dreams and Underwear

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

This story is set following the events of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and cuts into the events of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Certain characters' survival will be explained as the story goes on.

If you want to hear how Navarro says Talbot's name, use Google Translate (English to Spanish) and write 'Talbot' then press the little speaker by Spanish to hear it.

* * *

Shopping. It made sense, she needed clothing and female things, right?

The best he could offer was a car to take her to the centre of Aberdeen so she could enjoy her shopping spree while he continued his work. There were still a lot of details that he needed to figure out- like what Drake was even planning to do in Scotland? Another treasure, perhaps? Whatever the case, Navarro had every intention of making him suffer before taking away everything he loved. He maybe also contemplated breaking his legs, and that set him in a good mood for the morning.

His musing was cut short as the cook finished setting up the breakfast table, poured his coffee and then excused herself to leave as she always did. Admittedly, he had slept better last night after that cup of Chamomile tea Marlowe had made for him, but it didn't change his opinion about the weakness of tea in comparison to a nice cup of bitter black coffee first thing in the morning.

Atoq was content for now, but had his thoughts distracted once again as the door was opened, allowing the blonde woman to walk in.

"Good morning" Katherine Marlowe greeted politely, though he had to do a double take at the fact she had in the end decided to borrow a night robe, the broad-shouldered article clearly oversized, but he supposed that it was cold enough to overlook. It was evident she really needed this day to shop.

"Good morning, Miss Marlowe" He replied, taking a big sip of his refreshing cup of coffee and focusing on his laptop again to resume his research.

"Sleep well?" She asked as she took her seat to his left, looking around the table at the simple breakfast. Boiled eggs, bread, butter, jam and some croissants. It was alright for someone living alone, but judging by his coffee drinking and little eating, she wasn't surprised that he was so slim in comparison to Talbot.

Talbot loved his big English breakfasts, while she rarely saw Atoq around for dinner.

"Ah, yes, thank you" Came the distracted response, and Marlowe half contemplated telling him off for working on the breakfast table, but he wasn't Talbot and she had no say over him in his own house.

As though on cue, Talbot made his appearance just as she was biting into a croissant.

"Morning all" The British man spoke up, seeming to freeze up slightly when he saw Marlowe, briefly noting her borrowed night robe and then shifting his gaze across to the Hispanic man for the shortest of moments before taking his seat opposite his partner.

"Good morning, Talbot. You're looking a whole deal better today" The old woman smiled lightly at him and he stiffly returned the expression.

"Yes, can't wait to get this infernal brace off" Talbot muttered anxiously and looked around the breakfast table. Same thing as yesterday. He slowly reached over for the tea pot to set himself up a cup while he contemplated what to eat. He always needed a good breakfast to keep him going through the day, but was never up early enough to make special requests from the cook. Who woke up at 6:30 in the morning for breakfast anyway?

Atoq Navarro did and it annoyed him.

"Can I get the sugar please?" He asked, feeling awkward in the silence.

Marlowe passed him the sugar bowl despite it being closer to Navarro, but the man was too busy with his laptop. Probably doing something stupid, Talbot mentally bargained as he thanked the woman.

"Talbot" Navarro randomly grumbled, his heavy accent distorting the name slightly.

Talbot didn't react.

"Ay, Talbot" He repeated, finally looking up from the screen he was so focused on.

"Talbot" The British man corrected in a miffed tone, still annoyed that Marlowe had gone to visit him the night before. He still wanted to know what was so important that she had to go at that time of day, then show up the next morning in his damned robe out of all things!

"Talbot" Atoq repeated, but it still sounded wrong.

Talbot huffed. "Tal-bot. It's Talbot, not Talbot" He emphasised.

"Whatever! Stop kicking me!" The man snapped at last, glaring at him darkly.

Marlowe's eyes lit up. So, he still had feeling in his legs, she had to commend Talbot for his crafty tactic- if only she knew.

"I'm not kicking you, don't be ridiculous" The other scoffed, drawing his leg away, it had been an honest mistake since he was just crossing his legs out of habit and had no real intention to kick the man even if he thought he deserved it.

Talbot briefly looked across at Marlowe and was slightly confused by the smile she gave him. Was that some kind of pride in her eyes? He was sure he was imagining things and just focused on the egg sandwich he had managed to put together.

"Are you coming with us, Mr. Navarro?" Marlowe asked out of the blue.

"No, I have some work to attend to, my men will escort you there" He answered, finally shutting his laptop and taking a croissant, splitting it in half.

Talbot found it annoying- the beauty of eating a croissant was to do so while it was whole, just like Marlowe was doing.

"Where are we going?" He cleared his throat.

"Shopping. I need to buy some clothes if we're going to stay here for a while" She answered.

"But… all of our stuff are back… there" Talbot pointed out. He had no credit cards or cash on him at the moment and presumably neither did Marlowe.

"Mr. Navarro has kindly given us an allowance until we get our stuff back. I got in contact with our agent and he's sending them along" She explained, and Talbot felt even more angry at the man. "Are you certain that you won't come with us?"

Atoq finished the first half, chewing slowly. "I don't have time, maybe later" He also didn't have the mobility for that and was certainly not planning to have someone _escort_ him around. He had more important things to do, such as attending his rehabilitation therapy.

Talbot was relieved that Marlowe didn't push further. He wanted the chance to talk to her alone, which was incidentally the same reason she wanted to go somewhere where they wouldn't be watched. She could also get a new disposable phone and maybe a laptop too, so she could conduct her business if she needed to.

* * *

In his eagerness to get out and talk to Marlowe, Talbot had almost forgot the discomfort of borrowed clothing even if these were the most decent things Atoq had allowed him to borrow until now. This was a funeral suit, he knew it was, and though it was clean, he couldn't imagine that Navarro had ever worn a suit in his life. He just didn't look professional enough to- but now the issue was going commando and trying to ignore the tightness at the crotch.

Well, if they were going shopping, at least he could get some underwear.

"We'll be out shortly, thank you" Marlowe told the driver as he held the door open for her, but she didn't take his offered hand since she was completely fine standing up on her own.

The driver watched them as they entered one of the stores that looked pretty expensive, waiting until they were temporarily out of sight to get back in his seat and just observe from far. So far, it seemed that she was just an ordinary woman, currently asking her companion what he thought of a particular blazer.

Marlowe held out the first decent thing she saw from the shelf in front of her, turning to face Talbot.

"What do you think of this?" She inquired.

Talbot was confused since Marlowe had never ever asked someone else for their opinion of her clothes. He felt trapped. Was he supposed to answer honestly? His mind completely blanked as he stared at the black garment, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.

"You're right, it's too plain" She stated, placing the hanger back on its rack and moving further into the store and away from the window, unaware that Talbot's confusion increased. "That was clever what you did back at the breakfast table" She told him quietly.

"I… yes, thank you?" What had he done? Did she think Navarro deserved to be kicked too?

Marlowe was quiet as she looked through clothing for something suitable. Skirts, though smart and elegant, weren't practical in this weather nor for moving around too much. She would need to get some flat shoes too.

"Marlowe" Talbot fumbled, not sure what he was supposed to do. How was he supposed to tell her that he needed underwear?

"Yes, Talbot?" She prompted, once the silence had extended for too long and turned to look at him. He was looking around the place, and she clicked her tongue softly. "If you need some clothes, go ahead. Make sure to pick three decent suits" She instructed.

"O- of course" He moved to do as she had said, finding some men's clothing nearby, but no underwear yet.

"Marlowe," The man tried again since he had wanted to talk to her. "About last night…" He began to say, but she didn't seem to be listening and moved to the opposite side of the rack. Talbot followed, and almost bumped into her.

"What? Can I have some privacy, Talbot?" She scolded, pausing right outside the isle for women's undergarments. "Make yourself look busy if you're done" She shooed him away.

Talbot awkwardly apologised, but now saw the chance to hunt for his required garment, feeling relieved when he finally found the section.

Marlowe grabbed the few items she found necessary and then moved towards the checkout. Talbot wasn't around yet. "Excuse me, darling?" She addressed the young cashier.

"Yes, ma'am?" The woman smiled politely, ready to help.

"I'm new to this area and lost my phone… do you have any idea where I can get a new one?" She lied right through her teeth, but of course this employee would have no idea and just wanted to be of use to any customer, directing her towards the place. Luckily, it was only around the corner.

Talbot finally made his appearance just as she had finished, and slowly placed the items near hers.

"Here, take these to the car and come back to the get the rest" Marlowe handed him the bags of her items since she had already paid for them and turned back to inspect the stuff waiting to be checked out, nodding her approval at the suits and socks, but there was a packet of no good nylon ones folded into a plastic bag. "No, no, this will not do. These are no good" She placed the socks forward and removed the nylon ones, unaware of the fact they were underwear since she didn't have her reading glasses on.

"Thank you" Marlowe thanked the helpful employee with a polite smile and took her leave when Talbot arrived to pick up the next set of bags. "I'm going around the corner to get a disposable phone, tell the driver I'm going to get some lady items from the pharmacy" She told him quietly, walking down the street towards the pharmacy.

"Yes, of course" Talbot got in the car and told the driver, distracting him as she rushed past the place and turned the corner. Once this was done, he subtly searched through the bags but couldn't find it. Where was it? Had he accidentally dropped them? Whatever the case, the card was with Marlowe and if he wanted to buy some new ones, he would have to ask her.

* * *

The car ride home was quiet and they reached the seaside estate just in time for eleven since it was quite a drive and Marlowe encouraged him to change into his new clothes as she went to her room to wear her own.

After a shower, Marlowe dressed in her new clothes, feeling better than she had in days and decided that she was now ready to directly talk to Navarro about this whole ordeal. She had a lot of questions, and as the rule had been set from their first meeting, she would ask all she needed to. No more running around in circles.

Closing her door behind her, she stepped out into the hallway and began the path towards the main room, pausing as she heard a loud clatter from one of the rooms. Confused, she walked over and pushed the door open, looking around.

"Are you alright, sir?" A man, dressed smartly, with a pair of spectacles resting on his pointed nose, asked as he rushed over to help Atoq up, but was shoved harshly.

"Don't touch me!" The Hispanic hissed at him through grit teeth, throwing the crutch the doctor had been trying to get him used to and clawing at the wall to get back to his wheelchair. "This is ridiculous"

The doctor wore a thin smile of irritation as he dusted himself off and picked the assistive device up. "Sir, I told you, you're trying to rush it. These things take time" He repeated for the millionth time.

"Time? I don't have time! It's been four years, I don't _have_ time!" Atoq growled, slamming his fist repeatedly into the wall till it was badly bruised and he needed a moment to calm down before he seriously erupted. "You're all just a bunch of idiots, I don't know why I pay you"

Marlowe now understood the reason for the bruising she had seen the night before. He was trying to rush his rehabilitation and as a result was getting nowhere.

"If you'll excuse us a moment, doctor" She finally spoke up, and Atoq's gaze darted towards her angrily.

"Get out" He demanded.

Marlowe stood her ground. She was not going to back off on this, and quietly closed the door behind the doctor as he left, taking the crutches that had been left against the wall.

"I said get out!" Navarro was more than angry.

"Calm down" She stated sternly, and provoked him further.

"Are you deaf? Get out-" His protest was silenced when she walked swiftly towards him until she was standing right over him.

"Are you going to make me?" She challenged, and he looked baffled, but she immediately recognised that his nervousness was returning and he could no longer hold her gaze, glaring down at his legs and feeling perhaps somewhat betrayed. "Are you calm now?"

He refused to answer her, but she didn't wait for an answer anyway and moved to bring his wheelchair over.

This wouldn't do. If he was this angry, he wouldn't answer her questions. Marlowe made up her mind, she would put him to sleep, take what she needed and return to England so she could reorganise her efforts and get back at that _Drake_.

"Let me help you" She stated, trying to grab his arm, but he pulled it away.

"It's okay… I've got it" He muttered, but at least now he was just sulking and managed to clamber up and back into his wheelchair. He was set on walking again, but he first needed to rein in his temper.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Talbot's dreams of getting underwear that fits have been foiled by Marlowe, Atoq's research is finally complete, but Marlowe catches him with his pants down… not literally- but she approaches him at an inopportune moment and things are out of control.

Please R&R.

WritingLevel-Meh


	4. How Deep Does Doubt Run?

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

This story is set following the events of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and cuts into the events of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Certain characters' survival will be explained as the story goes on.

A more serious chapter, I promise.

* * *

"Are we really going through with this, Marlowe?" Talbot asked in a hushed whisper as he checked the hallway one last time before venturing further in to the kitchen to stand beside her.

Marlowe shifted to retrieve the tea tin and picked the usual chamomile to add it into the mug. "I don't trust him, and frankly we've got all we can get from him. We don't need his help" She stated after a moment's contemplation.

Talbot nodded his silent agreement and watched as she took out the box of sleeping pills she had bought from the pharmacy just the day before, taking two of the capsules apart and pouring their powdery content in as well. He had to say that he neither liked nor trusted Navarro, for the man was simply uncultured and if Marlowe herself was suggesting that they should rob him, then it was all the better. Marlowe would never see anything in a brat like him, he was simply inferior. Talbot's mood had improved significantly as a result of these thoughts.

"Here, take this to him and I'll go pack our things" The woman instructed, interrupting his gloating.

"But, Marlowe… what if he gets suspicious?" He asked cautiously.

"Don't be ridiculous, Talbot. Now go, and try not to make a dog's breakfast out of this" She replied firmly as she finished with adding the water and mixing the content well. "Don't mix up the cups" She warned lastly before taking off.

Talbot let out a huff of air before taking the tray and heading down the hallway towards the study where he knew that Atoq would be. For some reason, he had been more withdrawn than usual and his mood especially dark to the point that he hadn't even shown up for breakfast, though Talbot had no idea about his encounter with Marlowe.

* * *

Atoq's frown briefly left his face when he heard a knock on the door and he felt like telling whoever it was to get lost in the least polite manner possible, but he decided that it was probably time that he spoke to her anyway.

"Come in" He finally instructed, and the door opened to reveal that it was not the usual visitor, but Talbot instead. Navarro's fingers immediately froze on the keyboard, his gaze flickering from the man's face towards the tray in his hands and he let out a small sound that may have been a scoff before disregarding him and going back to his work.

Talbot sneered at the action, mentally cursing the man for acting like he was too good for him, but to Navarro, Talbot was simply a brainless second-in-command to Marlowe- someone who had shown great skill, but without a figure of authority was as useful as a spoon against a brick wall. Regardless, Talbot set the tray down carefully and placed the drugged tea before him, unsure if he was supposed to sit down, but judging by Marlowe's inclusion of a second mug, she was expecting him to make sure that Atoq had properly been sedated.

"I don't want it" Atoq stated, staring at the mug like it had personally offended him.

Talbot blanked for a moment. "M- Marlowe made it for you" He stated, feeling very awkward. He hadn't expected him to be so upfront about it.

Atoq went back to typing after another moment then subtly used his hand to push the mug away as though to emphasise his earlier point.

The British man found himself in quite a predicament that he hadn't expected.

"I need to talk to her," The other spoke up again. "Go call her, would you?"

Talbot couldn't believe it. Atoq Navarro was treating him like the Help and he felt the heat of anger immediately rise to his face, but just as he was about to explode on him, Marlowe knocked on the door and let herself in.

"Good evening, gentlemen" She smiled pleasantly as she came in, carrying a plate of sandwiches and taking the seat opposite Talbot. The plate was placed near Navarro as a symbol of goodwill following their unpleasant departure the previous evening, and also a subtle sign to say that she had noticed his absence the entire day.

The sandwiches were also regarded with suspicion, but he seemed to give Marlowe his attention at least. "We have important things to discuss, I believe," He began slowly, but she interrupted him.

"Not now, Mr. Navarro, you must eat" She insisted with a polite smile. "I made these egg sandwiches especially for you, I hear they really improve a man's… longevity" She hinted subtly, knowing that if she made him nervous, he was more likely to agree.

Talbot's face lit up in shock at her words and he looked between the two in bewilderment, even more so when Atoq seemed to consider the food.

"Ah… thank you" He muttered, again breaking the sandwich off into bits and taking only a bite before setting it aside.

"The whole sandwich if you please" Marlowe again pushed her luck and was once again met with that dark look that told her she was overdoing it, but she didn't say anything as she picked up her mug of tea to drink.

Navarro silently tapped away on his laptop for a moment, taking another bite from the sandwich in between and Talbot couldn't help but mentally reinforce the sentiment of how uncivilised he found the man. Eating and working at the same time was something those lowlife plebs did because they were so busy with their simpleton lives that they didn't know how to balance their time and have sophisticated meals.

Talbot wanted to leave already, but then he began to notice something. Atoq was looking more and more spaced out as the minutes and the silence extended, and it seemed like Marlowe had craftily put sleeping powder in the food too- nothing less from Katherine Marlowe!

Eventually, the man relaxed in his chair and drifted off into a drug induced sleep.

Neither Marlowe nor Talbot moved for the longest of moments until the former had finished her mug of tea.

"The driver is out cold too. Go start the car" She ordered as she pried the laptop away to start searching for information, specifically anything that would tell her about the incident at the Rub' al Khali and maybe the whereabouts of Nathan Drake.

Katherine Marlowe was anything but stupid. This man knew who she was, he knew about her Order and had probably been there when Talbot and herself had been picked up. There were endless files of research about different things, mostly historical in nature, but if the compiled pages suggested anything, it was that Navarro did not do things the legal way. He was in on this treasure hunting business too and he had profiles on both her and Talbot.

Click. Click. Click.

Her fingers paused, her eyes briefly widening as she saw the name. Ah yes, Nathan Drake. So, that's what they had in common. That's what Atoq Navarro and herself could find a mutual agreement on… The desire for revenge on Nathan Drake. She didn't know the whole story, and she probably would have heard it if she had been a little more patient and open with her questions, but it wasn't a mistake that couldn't be fixed. Right now, Atoq Navarro had the resources and the information while she had the contacts and the freedom of mobility.

Just this was a good bargain for a partnership.

Opening the drawers, the woman picked up the journal she had seen him write in quite often, flipping through pages of notes, sketches and newspaper and leaflet cut outs, briefly pausing to read an insert about a mercenary group called 'Shoreline'. It turned out that he wasn't an easy man, quite clever too if he wasn't so easily overwhelmed by her _pleasant_ façade to push him to do what she wanted. It was in fact, rare at her age to find a man that would bend to simple gestures like these but it was clear that he had little experience with women altogether.

"Marlowe," Talbot appeared again at the door just as she was closing the journal and returning it to its place. "The car is ready" He informed her.

Marlowe took a very long moment to think about this. "Talbot," She began slowly. "Do you think we can make it back to London?" She posed the question and he looked confused.

"P- pardon?" He blinked.

"You heard my question" She replied. "With the resources that we have currently… do you think that we can make it?"

Talbot looked around nervously. "Just to the airport, but our contacts-"

"Without them" The senior woman put in.

"… No" He still didn't know what brought this on, but his gaze briefly strayed to the sleeping Navarro and he had a strange feeling in his stomach that Marlowe's opinion may have been swayed. Why? Because she felt sorry for the man?

"No. It would appear that way to me too, and as it were… we may have stumbled across an unexpected ally in all of this" The blonde turned the laptop towards him, the page still open on Nathan Drake and all of his activities starting from 2007.

Talbot slowly approached and began to scan through it. "Marlowe… If he's still in Scotland, then we can…" He let the sentence drift off since she was giving him the kind of smile that told him she already knew what he had on his mind.

"Exactly. Maybe we should start this whole thing over fresh and plot the demise of that scoundrel, Drake" She suggested.

The man knew that this would mean he would have to tolerate Navarro and work with him and that thought alone was enough to unnerve him, but Marlowe had foresight in these kinds of things and it didn't necessarily mean that he would need to treat him kindly or as an equal. In fact, he would make sure to lay down the ground rules the minute he got the chance.

"Sweet dreams, Atoq Navarro" He grinned as he watched him for a moment before returning the laptop to the way it was and following Marlowe out of the room. He would teach him to take him seriously.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

A bit of a short(er) chapter with not much going on, but sometimes these are necessary to see the plot progress. It seems like Talbot's little misunderstanding about Marlowe's (fake) affection towards Navarro hasn't yet been cleared up, but then again, he always did want to be the only one she could count on.

Please R&R, my reviews are very empty.

WritingLevel-Meh


	5. But There is a Little Problem

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

Hummingbirds have the fastest metabolism rate out of all the known creatures on Earth. You'll understand why I'm telling you this later in the chapter.

* * *

He was there on the port, the shotgun warm in his hand and sweat trickling down his forehead and dripping down the nape of his neck. The helicopter was ablaze, a ruined deformity of metal, one of its rotor blades still spinning wildly and scraping into the tarmac. Navarro spat out some blood, throwing the magazine gauge open and sliding in one more shell. All he needed was one more shell and that bastard, Nathan Drake, would have his damn brains dashed across the sidewalk for daring to intervene with his plans. He probably looked like a madman, his hair dishevelled and clothes soaked through from the rain, but that hardly mattered to him. What was the worst thing that Nate had done to him during this fight? Give him a busted lip and maybe a concussion that had almost made him black out completely, but when Navarro was through with him, he would regret ever being born let alone this. Yes, but first, he would deal with the woman who funded Drake's damn expedition, though he should really thank her for delivering him to the door of death. The thought made him chuckle through stolen breaths as he pushed himself to cross the distance, steering clear of the winding rope and heading towards the two.

"Adios, amigo" He grinned, pulling back the safety lock once more and revelling in the expression of pure horror on Elena's face as Nathan stepped in the way to protect her.

"Nate! No!" She cried, the sound somewhat blurred against the adrenaline and excitement rushing through his veins, the shotgun recoiling with bruising force as the bullet left the barrel and hit him in the back.

Cruel dark eyes watched as the man slowly collapsed, his hands shaking as he tried to ease the pain of his caved in back, but in the end just floundered and dropped into a growing puddle of his own blood with Elena crying and yelling as she tried to help but to no avail. A murky red ran down the pavement, mixing with the rain water and pooling away into the ocean. Navarro's expression of pure relish faded as he watched the life fade away, but it felt strangely empty afterwards and he tossed the shotgun away to turn back to the El Dorado statue, reaching for his radio. It had shattered from the impact of him falling over and he scowled deeply. This wasn't right. There was still static coming from the speaker and he shifted to look around, freezing as he came face to face with the barrel of his own shotgun. His gaze slowly moved from it towards the person behind the trigger.

Blood oozed from the open wound in the man's forehead where a bullet had caught him dead in the centre. A perfect shot. But this didn't make sense, this wasn't right.

"You're dead and it's empty" Navarro stated slowly, as though he was no longer sure of it. There was no evidence of the virus taking hold anywhere.

"No, I'm afraid not," The ghost of Gabriel Roman gloated, cocking the SAS-12 and the empty shell he had just used was released. "You're the dead one, Navarro... after all I've done for you, you really thought you could make it in the world without me, hm?" The barrel of the gun was lowered to press to his chest, pushing him backwards.

Atoq stepped back slowly, his expression shifting into a deep scowl of pure malice and infused with the desire to snap the man's neck for good. "So, even now you haunt me?" He asked in a hiss, thinking, scheming, trying to find a way out.

"Oh no, I was never dead, Navarro" The sentence made his skin flush with cold and the next thing he knew, there was a sharp pain in his leg, running right up his hips and into his spine as he stumbled backwards and into the barrier keeping him just out of reach of the hungry waves of the Pacific.

His eyes blurred as he grunted through grit teeth, not daring to look down but knowing that his leg had been broken by the bullet.

"Goodbye, Atoq, you were always such a disappointment to me"

One last bullet to the side sent him reeling over the edge and into the sea, his eyes shutting tightly for a long moment, but even when he opened them, he couldn't bring his body to work and couldn't kick or swim or do anything other than watch helplessly as his blood floated up to the surface along with the last bubbles of stolen breath. He could remember the feeling of his lungs filling up, the salty water suffocating him, his leg broken and wrenched out of its socket by the rope tying him to the sarcophagus.

* * *

Atoq willed his eyes to open, his head pounding with the passing visions of the fading nightmare and an unusual heaviness that he couldn't quite explain, the horrible taste in his mouth feeling like he had just swallowed Roman's ashes.

A cold mug of tea sat at his desk side, the half-eaten sandwich still on the plate untouched. Dark hues looked around briefly, but nothing was out of place. His mind was still fuzzy and spacey, and he needed a long moment to try and recall what had led to him falling asleep in the middle of working. Nothing particular came to mind, although he did feel terribly sluggish and so assumed it was just the fatigue having caught up to him.

Shifting to straighten up and rubbing his stiff neck, he noted a shawl dislodging from his shoulders and he briefly pulled it off with a start. It was definitely a lady's article and for a brief moment, he frowned and half considered burning it, but upon realising it was Marlowe's, he just huffed and tossed it over the back of the nearest chair. That woman both infuriated and confused him. He couldn't quite understand why the old woman insisted on bothering him when he had told her a hundred times over that he didn't need her disturbing him every couple of hours. In the end it led to her seeing him at his worst because she was so damn nosy and couldn't mind her own business. It wasn't like he couldn't manage himself even if he was sometimes temperamental and impatient- but wouldn't anyone be if they had to put most of their life on hold because they had been denied the ability to walk by a two-bit thief?

Atoq's skin crawled every time he remembered the cause of his misery.

It had been four years already and the most progress he had made was three steps. His left leg was ruined beyond hope as it hadn't quite healed right and would always feel strange according to the doctors, but he could still regain the ability to walk and that was what kept him going after he had pulled himself out through the sheer desire to live on. It may have been true that the spiteful ones lived the longest, and in truth, much of the struggle to escape the suffocating winding of the rope around his shattered ankle was a blur of anything but desperation. In the end, he had managed to free it but only for his leg to get caught under the heavy gold statue and he had to break it again to get loose.

Much of what happened under was a blur, but he remembered a woman screaming something in some language he didn't understand the minute he broke surface, having been pulled out by a group on a ship of some description.

After that, he was sure that he had been taken to hospital and though he had been alone and under an induced coma for most of the year, he had been visited by someone with a child. It had been a senior woman, presumably the one who had called an ambulance for him, and with her was a young girl he had presumed to be her granddaughter or godchild. The girl was always dressed in some kind of school uniform whenever he was conscious enough to be aware of his surroundings, and she often read some children's book out-loud as if he actually understood or cared. Not that it mattered, because he had been too depressed and lost to care about what was happening around him. He couldn't even think of any particular highlight for the first two years, most of them having been spent in hospital, recovering from being completely bed-bound to sometimes being wheeled around in a wheelchair. When exactly he had recovered his livelihood, he wasn't sure, but maybe that old woman was the reason he often felt flustered around Marlowe when she did something for him like make him a cup of chamomile so he could sleep better at night.

Atoq would probably never come to realise that it was the fact he was an orphan and had grown up completely alone, isolated and with a festering sadism and cruelty, nurtured by Roman's mental antagonism and humiliation. In fact, with the man dead, he had weaselled his fortune for inheritance, being his ward, and now used it freely to conduct his own business. He had used wise investments and made his wealth grow through small excavations here and there, as unlike Roman, he actually had business skills and the brains to go with them to make a fortune without having to act as a loan shark. Not that he actually cared about doing things legally, but Navarro knew he had to lay low and expand his resources as he researched the whereabouts and actions of Nathan Drake.

He had heard much in the time he was out of the business.

Things like a run in with the notorious Serbian warlord, Zoran Lazarević, who would have been a useful asset had he been alive but all evidence proved otherwise. Some years down the line, he lost Drake's trail until he happened to hear about something to do with the Lost City of Iram and that was when he came across Katherine Marlowe and Talbot.

The Hermetic Order was a stupid occult group in his opinion, but following their trail to Yemen had led to him ascertaining quite a bit about Marlowe and how she handled things. She had class, she knew what she was doing and had all the right contacts, including Talbot who had proved a skilled concocter of hallucinative drugs. Unfortunately, Atoq realised that she lacked the drive to get rid of Nathan Drake when she had so many chances; the backstreets of London, the docks in Yemen and again at Iram. So many wasted opportunities, just because she didn't want to get her hands dirty and left the task to untrustworthy dogs like Ramses. But what Navarro liked about Marlowe was that she had the right idea about treasure hunting. She saw potential in the hallucinogenic drug found in the water of the city and intended to make good use of it for profit. Not wall it up in a museum or just leave it to rot away for another couple hundred years. She had ambition, just like he did, and more importantly, she had the mobility to act directly on site while he was recovering.

All these thoughts were cast aside for the moment as he moved to shower and freshen up a bit to wash away the drowsy feeling of sleeping powder he had no knowledge of consuming.

* * *

Atoq felt much calmer than he had for days once he had showered and dressed in a nice pair of loose fitting pants and a snug cotton shirt. His research was done and now he could really take a break and enjoy himself for a day or two while his men got things ready on the outside. In fact, his mood had improved so significantly that he was actually going to eat a proper meal for a change instead of living off breakfast.

The Hispanic man wheeled his way towards the kitchen, not really paying Talbot much attention as he searched through the drawers on the far side for something in particular.

Talbot noted that he was being ignored again and felt a nerve twinge in irritation, deciding that now was as good a time as any to draw a line while Marlowe wasn't here. "Oh, don't mind me, I helped myself to some of your champagne, seeing as you favour tequila" He spoke up, holding up the glass half full of alcohol.

Atoq paused as he finally found the thick Yellow Pages the landlord had insisted he keep in case he needed something, slowly turning to place it on the countertop where Talbot was currently sitting.

"Is it vintage?" Talbot prompted when he received no response to his attempt at provocation, wrinkling his nose slightly as he got a whiff of the other's cologne again.

"It's alcohol. Who cares?" Navarro replied pointedly as he flipped through the catalogue towards the food category.

The British man grimaced. Why had he expected someone who had obviously grown up somewhere in a backstreet to understand the value of a real vintage drink? This bottle was probably a gift from someone with actual taste, if Navarro even associated with people of good taste that is.

"What do you want?" The Hispanic man asked out of the blue, and Talbot was confused for a moment. "Ey, stupido, I'm talking to you"

"What? What do you mean what do I want?" He was baffled enough to not pay attention to the insult.

"Dios mio" Atoq grumbled. "What do you want to eat?" He clarified.

"Oh" Talbot's gaze flickered towards the page to look at the available options while the older man retrieved his smartphone to look up some of the menus of the listed shops. Everything on there was the type for takeout, something which Talbot didn't indulge in since it was greasy and full of fat. 'Empty Calories' was what Marlowe called them, and restaurants had been the only 'outside food' option he had known from the day he started working with her. "Can't we go out to a proper restaurant and have a decent meal?" He finally asked.

"What's wrong with this stuff?" Atoq inquired in a distracted and perhaps uncaring manner.

"It's fattening and unhealthy" Talbot pointed out in an exasperated tone.

"Listen, culo, do I look like I can go out to you?" The man countered irately, gesturing to his legs and Talbot stared for a moment as though he just realised he was at a disadvantage.

Despite that, Talbot stood his ground. "I've seen plenty of people in wheelchairs dining at decent places" He muttered and took another sip from his glass, suddenly very aware of the anger radiating off Navarro and he knew for certain that he was one step away from punching him. Talbot didn't even need to do a double-take of the muscle tensing in the older man's arm to know that if that did happen, he would probably end up with a broken nose, jaw or teeth. It seemed that while his legs were out of order, he was keeping his arms in shape, but Marlowe luckily came to the rescue once again.

"Talbot?" She called as she was walking in, and stopped for a moment when she realised who else was in the room. "Good evening, boys. Did I disturb your boy talk? I do apologise" She remarked in a light tone as she wore her usual smile.

"I'm a grown man" Navarro reminded her grumpily, and scoffed at the idea that either of them could ever share any common interest. Talbot was as dim as an eco-friendly bulb in his opinion.

"Not likely" The British man snarked, though whether in regards to her question or Atoq's emphasis on being a 'man' was up to interpretation.

"What are we up to then?" Marlowe sauntered over, smelling wonderfully of expensive perfume and it soothed Talbot against the breezy cologne Atoq always smelled of after a shower. Talbot just didn't understand; did the man actually think it smelled good? Whatever the case, Marlowe didn't seem to mind it as much or if she did, she never commented.

"Navarro here thinks it's a good idea to order greasy takeout food" He answered.

"Oh? So, what's on the menu?" She asked, and Talbot wasn't sure if it was genuine curiosity or if she was taking the mick, but either way, she didn't seem to mind. "Does a pizza sound good?" She perked up after a moment's contemplation.

"Sure, go for it" Atoq didn't seem to mind, though he was surprised when she fished his phone out of his lap and walked away to make the order without further consultation about toppings. "Greasy food, ey? You stuck up British won't ever enjoy anything if you're so obsessed with calories" Navarro decided to get back at him, wearing a victorious smirk.

"Unlike you, we have quality food made for us" Talbot scoffed.

"Pity you don't exercise it off" Came the scalding remark as his glass was taken away.

"Well excuse me, not everyone has the metabolism of a hummingbird" The Brit wrinkled his nose in disgust as he watched the man down what was left of his drink, wondering if he realised that he drank from his mouth.

"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?" Atoq placed the glass down and made his way out of the kitchen to find wherever Marlowe had run off with his phone. Did it take more than five minutes to make an order?

* * *

Marlowe quickly cleared the number of her agent from the calling list, making sure to leave the pizza shop's number as the most recent when she heard the door to the terrace open.

"It's cold. Here" Atoq tossed something at her before holding his hand out for his phone expectantly.

Marlowe caught the shawl readily, half smiling as she realised he was returning it to her. "Thank you" She remarked, watching him as he looked around a moment, observing the iced over coastline.

A holiday home by the sea was ideal, but in the winter, it was too cold to enjoy so she assumed he had been here since the summer. It was now December and the New Year would come around soon enough.

"I ordered a vegetarian pizza with some mushrooms and green peppers. Is that alright?" Marlowe commented idly, wondering if he was cold in just a T-shirt.

"When I picked you up from the Rub' al Khali... I didn't think you were this cunning" Navarro began randomly, and she paused a moment to try and determine where his came from.

"I have no idea what you mean" She claimed, wondering if he had picked up on the phone call.

"Cut the bullshit, Marlowe, I know who you are and more importantly, I know about your little run-in with Nathan Drake" He stated, his dark eyes meeting her blue ones with a concealed sort of knowledge.

"Ah. So, we are on common grounds because..." She paused to reach into her suit jacket and retrieve a folded file which she opened to inspect. Her reading glasses still hadn't arrived, so she had to do a fair bit of squinting. "According to this, you also had a run-in with Drake half a decade ago" She gave a business-like smile as she flipped through the folder.

"It would appear so" He was either not phased or was very good at hiding his surprise.

"And the reason we're in Scotland is because he's here, correct?" The British woman promoted.

"Sí. Probably heading for a Cathedral in the highlands about an hour from this place" He retrieved his journal from his pocket, flicked through it to a place marked with a 'HA' on a sticky note and held it out to her.

Katherine Marlowe took her time inspecting it, reading little notes about some pirate named Henry Avery and something to do with Saint Dismas. "Can't say I know a lot about Pirates, but I suppose that's where you come in handy, hm?" She closed the journal and handed it back to him. That explained the collection of pirate related history books that lined an entire three shelves.

"I'm not in it for the treasure and as I understand it... neither are you" Atoq mused, turning to go back inside since he had enough cold for one evening.

"No, I don't suppose we are, but it would be nice to steal it right from his hands and then give him a taste of his own medicine, wouldn't you say?" Marlowe hummed.

"But there is a _little_ problem"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

The two evil super villains have finally come to some sort of agreement and laid their cards out on the table (though they probably still have something hidden up their sleeves, they're villains after all).

The question now is; How do the Drake brothers come into the equation?

Please R&R.

WritingLevel-Meh.


	6. Familiar Faces

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

This chapter will see the introduction of one very popular character, making a comeback. Read and find out!

For your vocabulary:

Gilipollas- means 'dumbass'.

* * *

It was around mid-afternoon when Navarro showed up in the dining room where Marlowe and Talbot were having lunch.

"Good afternoon, Navarro" Marlowe was surprised to see him, and perhaps a little curious about his reason for showing up.

Navarro didn't reply to her polite greeting. "If we're going to work together, you'll need these" Instead, he got straight down to business, setting four boxes and two thin, card parks on the table.

"And just what are _these_?" Talbot inquired, placing his eating utensils down as he finished his meal.

"Communication devices" The Hispanic man answered, tearing the delivery wrap off and proceeding to set up the old-fashioned cells.

"Disposable phones…" The other noted, not sure if he should be insulted or not.

"These will be useful if Shoreline are as advanced as you suggested them to be" Marlowe hummed thoughtfully, but she would still keep the one she had bought a secret. Something about Atoq's temper unsettled her slightly.

"They're financed by some big shot gilipollas, of course they would be" Atoq scoffed, tossing the second device in Talbot's general direction, then opened the next two boxes. These revealed brand-new smartphones which he slid the SIM cards into, from the card packs.

Talbot stared as they were randomly handed out and he very nearly smacked the man for handing him the metallic pink while Marlowe got the steely grey. The only thing that stopped him from saying anything was that Marlowe didn't seem to care, but Talbot felt like Atoq was indirectly insulting him as always.

"Yes, and do we have any other information?" Marlowe prompted, recalling the file that she had seen on Navarro's computer.

"I'll give you the files later, but we can't afford to face them head on" The man replied. "More importantly, we can't afford to let that bastard Drake know we're on his ass"

Talbot had to agree there. Marlowe and himself had always made a point of keeping the mess to a minimum, so that they could move freely and without pursuit. Heavens knew, he had enough of Nathan chasing him around Yemen as is. As entertaining as it was, it certainly delayed progress- but the plus side was that he could test his drugs all he wanted.

Which brought up another matter.

"We should head back to London first, we have ample resources that we could benefit from" He spoke up.

"What is it you need?" Atoq regarded this with suspicion- he had still not established any trust them after all. There was always the possibility that, now that they knew Nathan Drake was in Scotland, the pair of them would head for England to get themselves organised before setting out to take him down themselves.

Navarro had perhaps been in over his head by choosing two people who trusted each other- but beggars couldn't be choosers, and if there was one thing the last three years had taught him, it was that he was at a serious disadvantage when it came to his lack of mobility. In these past two weeks, however, he had made some progress. Progress which he intended to keep hidden until he was back to one hundred percent.

"Talbot is right, Navarro, it's best to establish our grounds where we can go back if things get messy" Marlowe knew where his doubts lay. "Don't worry, I will be personally heading there. Talbot will stay here and you can get started on planning the next stage" Her words came as a bit of a surprise to both men.

Surely, she wouldn't walk out on Talbot? Would she trust him to end Navarro's life once she had reached London successfully then send for him to join her?

Navarro's past with backstabbing Roman had perhaps invoked in him a sense of paranoia.

Talbot wasn't happy about the arrangement either.

He would much rather be the one going, he just couldn't stand the other man. But there were issues that still needed resolving- like how he would explain the circumstance of their survival and so on. It seemed like Marlowe had a plan, and he didn't have to like it, but he also had to be mature in how he handled Atoq. Talbot was smart, he could make this work, and that was probably what Marlowe was counting on.

In fact, the longer he spun it in his mind, the more he felt like Marlowe's trust in him was something to be chuffed about.

Navarro was silent, his dark umber eyes holding Marlowe's cool blue gaze for a very long moment.

Talbot couldn't tell what was going through his mind, but he guessed that he was weighing out his options. Option one; trust Marlowe to leave and risk being taken out by Talbot when everything went according to their plan. Option two; deny her that trust and risk making their already edgy relationship even more difficult to handle.

But no, Navarro was almost certain that Talbot would not perform very well if Marlowe wasn't providing him with support. For him to attempt to take Navarro out would be a far shot.

"Very well, take as long as you need" And if he felt threatened, he would just have to kill Talbot first.

"Thank you kindly" Marlowe wore the smile that Talbot knew meant the business deal had gone her way. The woman stood up, taking the phones provided for her and prepared to leave. "I'll go pack, shall I?" This was just her polite way of saying that she was going to take the entire trip details into her own hands.

Atoq was quiet, and not in the way that he normally was when he was ignoring other people in the room- no, he was now fixated on Talbot.

Talbot hoped that he now saw him as an actual threat, someone who you needed to respect and not overstep the boundaries with. But just as much as he wanted that, he was also on the middle ground with how he should act around Navarro. Navarro was difficult to read, he could easily act one way and then look at you in another. That was perhaps the most uncertain thing about him, and as far as Talbot was aware, he hadn't always been wheelchair bound which meant that when his recovery period was over- Atoq might become a physical threat as well as a mental one.

Talbot just had to make sure he was ready when that period was over. He had gotten rusty in the time that he was recovering from the multiple broken bones and concussion that he had left the Rub' al Khali with. His gaze wandered towards the table, landing on the bread knife. It had a nice serrated end, perfect for cutting through soft things without exerting the pressure that would cause them to break.

He would practise again, and this time, he would make sure that Nathan Drake did not get away.

* * *

It would be a whole month before Marlowe returned.

* * *

Nathan let out a sneeze, grumbling slightly as he felt around for the tissue box.

"You alright, little brother?" Sam asked as he shrugged on his denim jacket, fidgeting with the cuff of his sleeve.

"Yeah, just got a damn cold" The younger Drake answered, sound frustrated as he poured over several maps and sheets of research.

"I'll get ya something for that… ya want anything else? I'm going out" He told him in a somewhat nervous tone. He seemed like he was getting anxious the closer they got to solving the mystery of Henry Avery's Pirate treasure.

"Nah, I'm good. Stock up the booze while you're at it" Nathan replied dismissively.

"Don't have to tell me twice" Sam let out a light chuckle of amusement on his way to the door, briefly glancing into the living room to spot Sully's snoring form on the sofa before heading out. It was still early in the morning and the sun hadn't even risen yet.

The cold gust from the sea hit him almost immediately and he shuddered as he pulled his jacket closed. Scotland was colder near the sea than in the mainland, but it was the most convenient location for Sully's plan since it could just be docked near the port. The area was secluded too, so they didn't have to worry about anyone showing up to bother them.

Sam made the small trek towards the separate garage nearer the small road leading up to the main one, and from there he retrieved his rented motorcycle.

It was at least half an hour to get to the nearest town with stores, after all, and he half wished he had packed warmer but in all of his excitement, he just packed whatever was comfortable. It wasn't like he had much clothing anyway.

* * *

Click. Click. Click.

A fizzle sparked in the cold air as the flame finally sprung forward from the lighter.

The scarred man took a long drag of smoke then lit it filter from his lips. It still stung. Despite the stiffness of his face after a lot of reconstruction had mostly restored it to what it had been prior to the excursion in the Himalayas, it did still hurt.

Rich green eyes surveyed the empty street for a moment, their owner shifting and slipping his hands into the pockets of his leather racer jacket as he began the short walk from the small block of flats towards the café just down the road. It was still too early in the morning, the street lights glaring bright in the winter dark but it did little to affect him.

The truth of the matter was that he had gone through his years with much more regrets than he had memories of good times gone by. The truth of the matter was that those regrets still haunted him into sleepless nights and endless addictions. The truth of the matter lay in that his vision had been bleary and clouded over into blindness by the sense of loss after waking to realise that he had lost everything.

That Nathan _Drake_ had stolen everything from him. He should have shot him back at the museum, should have ended it in Shangri-La, should have made sure the grenade dropped right into his hand instead of hurting the pretty blonde.

The café door opened with a tinkling of the bell, but he paused short as he was suddenly approached by someone.

"Uh, hey, you got any change for a ten?" The man asked with a slight Boston accent, clearly not from around the area.

"Sure, mate, what do you need?" He reached into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet, pulling out two five pound notes.

"Sorry, 's just early, lady says they don't have change" Sam apologised. "That'll do, thanks" He gave a quirky smile as he accepted the change and gave him the ten pound note, then moved to finish his order. He didn't seem very fazed by the scarred man's appearance, even though the lady behind the counter never failed to stare.

Sam took a seat at one of the very small diner tables, pulling out his last cigarette and feeling around his pockets for his lighter. "Damn… where'd I leave it now?" He muttered, but was surprised when a light was held out to him.

"So… what's an American bloke doing all the way out here?" He was given a charming smile as he was joined at his table, both of them waiting on their order.

Sam gave a light chuckle, muttering his thanks as he took a big puff of nicotine, feeling a lot more relaxed already. "Uh, y'know… it's kind of a long story. Just… exploring, travelling. That kinda thing." He answered.

"Fair enough… It's a nice country, Scotland is" Came the agreement, the anonymous man taking a sip from his coffee.

"Yeah, but it's hella cold too" Sam joked lightly. "You, uh…" Maybe he wanted to ask about his half-scarred face, maybe he didn't.

"Oh this? Little work accident. Mind you, got a generous pay-out. Not very pretty, is it?" Very nearly resembled his hideous employer too.

"Oh, ouch. Sorry to hear that" The older Drake muttered, resting his cigarette against the ash tray before holding out a hand. "I'm Sam"

"Harry" Flynn clapped his hand in a firm handshake and they exchanged grins.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Things are getting tense between Talbot and Atoq, Marlowe has left them to it!

Harry Flynn has made a reappearance and met Samuel Drake without either knowing each other's identities. But what is Harry Flynn doing in Scotland?

 **PLEASE READ AND REVIEW, I WOULD LIKE SOME INPUT. AM I DOING GOOD? AM I DOING BAD?**

WritingLevel-Meh.


	7. Misunderstandings and Threats anew

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

Some violence and hints of Talbot/Marlowe ahead!

Additional Notes: I am aware that in his original character model, Navarro has really light blue eyes, but in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, his multiplayer model has dark brown eyes which I think are more realistic and suit him better. **TL;DR:** Navarro's eyes are described as umber throughout the story.

 _Please review- it encourages me to write more!  
_

* * *

A month.

Marlowe had left them alone for a month and this was what happened.

"Just give up, it'll be less painful" Talbot gloated as he retrieved the knife that had been knocked out of his hand, half stumbling over to the other man.

"You think I'll just let myself die?" Atoq hissed through grit teeth as he shifted to pull himself up into a sitting position. They were both exhausted and looked a terrible mess.

"I hope not, because then..." Talbot dropped to his knees once he'd reached him, spinning the knife expertly in his hand so that the blade faced outwards to make it easier to bring down. "That would be really disappointing" He aimed to strike him in the chest, but Atoq grabbed his hand firmly to try and wrestle the weapon free.

"Screw you" The Hispanic man cursed him, grunting with the effort required to try and block the deadly assault, but he didn't seem like he was convinced that Talbot wanted to end him.

This only unnerved Talbot more and he tried to press it down with whatever strength was left in him, his arms trembling and feeling like lead from all the action.

Navarro summoned one final ounce of energy, lurching forward and smacking his head right into Talbot's face, successfully causing his nose to erupt blood and send him flat on his arse.

The knife was sent sliding across the kitchen floor, just out of reach.

Atoq took the moment to catch his breath, watching as Talbot rolled around, leaving droplets of blood on the white marble tiles. Atoq didn't feel like he had any strength left in his legs and it hurt when he attempted to move too quickly, so he essentially crawled over to the fallen man, taking no caution as he practically sat on his back, grabbing his jaw firmly in his right hand and locking his left arm across his neck.

Talbot immediately recognised the hold and if he wasn't careful, he'd get his neck broken. "Get- off me!" He demanded, bloodied hands clawing at the arm held firmly against his throat, legs kicking out in an attempt to dislodge the older man's grip.

"Beg! " Navarro taunted, tightening his hold across his neck and starting to choke him out.

"In... your... dreams-!" Talbot scrambled, giving up on trying to loosen his grip and trying to reach the knife again, already dizzy from the hit to his face and was now losing oxygen. But by the time Atoq realised what he was doing, the British man had already grabbed hold of it and very nearly stabbed him with it, forcing him to release his jaw to secure his knife hand but it slipped right through his fingers.

"God damn you-!"

* * *

Marlowe sighed as the car was pulled to a stop, the man in the driver's seat turning to look at her for confirmation that this was the right place. It was good to be able to rest after the long journey back from London, and she uttered her thanks as the door was opened for her.

"I'll grab the bags" Her companion announced, though for no real reason considering the fact that she was never going to offer to help with them anyway.

The blonde woman straightened out her blazer, hugging it tight around her body as she trekked up the pathway towards the house, digging through her purse for the keys.

Truthfully, it wasn't like she was expecting the welcome wagon or anything, but something about the house felt off. Even her companion seemed to think so because he left the bag by the entrance and reached for the gun behind his belt. Marlowe immediately placed a hand on his arm to stop him, motioning the light coming from the kitchen which seemed to calm him down.

Her heels clicked against the floor as she made her way towards it, stopping short as her gaze fell on the droplets of red contrasting sharply against white tiles. Her eyes immediately darted around in search of the source, finding Talbot sprawled on his back and looking as though he was lost in delirium. Marlowe briefly felt her body run through with cold, but he was breathing just fine, albeit wheezing.

"What the hell happened here?" Her new bodyguard expressed pretty much what she was thinking, but her alarm was heightened when she heard a grunt.

Atoq was leaning heavily on the counter, his entire form trembling as he struggled to yank out the knife which had struck him in the shoulder.

"Leave it!" Marlowe practically hissed at him, knowing that it would be worse if he pulled it out and could cause more harm than good. It didn't quite register in her mind what was going on, other than the fact that these two had very nearly killed each other. "Harry," She called the hired gun firmly. "Get Navarro settled, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid" She instructed as she moved to check on Talbot again.

"Yes, ma'am" Flynn moved to try and help Atoq out of the kitchen and maybe into a room that would allow for first aid.

"Don't touch me!" The man snapped, talking through grit teeth. It was probably only through sheer stubbornness that he was still standing because he was very much struggling to stay that way.

"Hey, talk, dark and grumpy, I'm just trying to help, now come on" Flynn emphasised the last two words by pulling him away from the counter, forcing him to lean on him for support or otherwise end up on the floor.

"Talbot" Marlowe called, lightly patting his cheek in an attempt to get him to respond, pausing to shuffle away and retrieve a glass of water, sprinkling cold drops onto his face.

Talbot shifted with a groan, looking bleary eyed as he focused on her. "Marlowe...?" He may have been dreaming in his mind.

"Get up" Her tone was quiet, but not calm like it usually was which hinted at her displeasure regarding the current situation.

Talbot took a moment, closing his grey eyes before slowly shifting to sit up with some help. "Thank you" He muttered, taking the glass of water to soothe his throat and perhaps regain more of his awareness.

"What on Earth do you think you two were doing?" She demanded to know.

"Marlowe, he's crazy- an absolute psychopath, he tried to kill me!" Talbot protested, but fell silent at Marlowe's look of disapproval.

"Now why would he do that?" She asked after taking a deep breath in to steel her nerves once more. If she had been a minute later, Talbot could have very well been dead.

"I..." Talbot swallowed for a moment, knowing that trying to lay all the blame on Navarro would just make him seem like more of a child. Although Navarro had reacted a lot worse than he thought he would, he hadn't immediately tried to kill Talbot. "... I suppose I worded something poorly" He finally answered in a guilty manner, expecting biting words from the woman but none came.

A delicate touch to the bruising bridge of his nose made him wince slightly, blinking away the fogginess of his vision to focus on her.

Marlowe's expression was difficult to read, but there was a light frown of contemplation present. Perhaps she was questioning her choices.

"Well... it's not broken" She announced quietly, retrieving a wet towel to clean up the flecks of blood briefly before leaving the item in his hand.

Talbot took it slowly, looking at the red that had ruined his dress shirt.

A long silence passed between them as Marlowe walked to the fridge, retrieving the First Aid kit from beside it and propped it open to rifle through it. Talbot hadn't really got any serious wounds, but his neck and face would definitely bruise. It was perhaps worse for him when she didn't yell at him, and recently she didn't seem to be doing a lot of it despite his numerous mistakes.

It made him nervous- made him feel like a child.

"Talbot," His name on her lips made him flinch, and he wasn't exactly sure why. "What did you say to him?" There was a tone in her voice that hinted curiosity and he briefly wondered why she wanted to know.

"... That he will never amount to anything, and... that he should go cry in his mother's lap, and show gratitude that we even decided to help a useless man like him" The words felt like lava boiling in the pits of his stomach, but the way he had said them to Atoq had been worse and of course he wouldn't admit to accusing him of wanting to sleep with older woman, and telling him that Marlowe wouldn't even look at him while he was in a wheelchair. Those words weren't the kind Talbot would really say to anyone, and he truly realised just how immature he must have seemed in Marlowe's eyes.

Talbot wished that the floor would open up and that _he_ would be the one swallowed up by quicksand.

"Gabriel Roman... does that name ring a bell to you at all, Talbot?" Marlowe asked, moving to sit down as she looked at a random spot of blood on the floor. She was purposely not looking at him.

"M- Maybe" He didn't like this situation.

"Crime lord, loan shark" She went on. "He picked up a boy from the slums of Argentina during a dig for some lost treasure"

Talbot wondered where this was going, hoping it wasn't the kind of thing where he needed to discern the moral of the story.

"The boy was very clever, in fact, so clever that when he became a man, he practically led Roman to the fabled El Dorado" The story was beginning to sound somewhat familiar. Hadn't Nathan Drake supposedly seen it?

"That boy, now a man, obviously had his issues. For one, he was orphaned. Two? You can imagine having a crime lord for a carer, can't you?" Her faded green eyes focused on him. "He killed Gabriel Roman, saw him as _a means to an end_. Unfortunately, he didn't walk away with El Dorado like he planned because a certain Drake got in the way. The only place he took it was to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean"

The story finally dawned on Talbot. It was Atoq Navarro's. A lot of it- no, all of it- was new to him, but it certainly explained a lot of things. Still, it wasn't like he was going to sympathise or anything, but it reflected just how little he should trust him.

Marlowe stood up and walked over to him, staring him hard in the eye. "I'm not asking you to be best friends with him, Talbot" She stated seriously. "But right now, we need to evaluate our options. You've been doing nothing but butting heads with him from the start, the pair of you- acting like children"

There it was. The long-awaited scolding.

"We have important business to conduct, you're smarter than this, Talbot. But recently, I've been questioning whether you hit your head too hard in Iram" Those words cut him deeper than any sharp blade and the distress was probably visible in his eyes. "Now, if it will help, just remember that if it hadn't been for this _psychopath_ , neither of us would be alive" She took the wet towel from his hands and set an ice pack there instead. "Get yourself cleaned up and I'll deal with this".

"I- I'm sorry, I was careless-" He bowed his head, feeling bitter on the inside.

" _No._ " Marlowe cut him off shortly. "Not careless, you were sloppy" And then it really settled into him.

He envied Navarro nearly as much as he envied Drake- though he was probably not really aware of the complication of his feelings. Nathan was smart, Atoq was smart. Both of them seemed to be held with regards and accountability by Marlowe, while Talbot constantly made errors. Maybe it was this unpleasant complication that led him to dislike Navarro without ever knowing him. But Talbot really didn't know what he was thinking- why had he pulled the knife? Did he really think Marlowe would pat him on the back and tell him 'well done' if he had killed the man? As hard as it was to accept, it was obvious that Marlowe saw potential in recruiting Atoq Navarro as an ally- at least until they found Nathan Drake and disposed of him. Talbot felt like he had every bit the talent required to hunt the damned Treasure Hunter, but Marlowe was right. He hadn't done anything to show his abilities since he woke up from his coma- all he had been doing was watching Navarro and Marlowe, and agonising over how she seemed to treat the man with delicate gloves at times. Then there was that damned night visit from all those months before- why had he suspected it? Even if Atoq had no moral conscience, it wasn't like Katherine Marlowe would ever look at him even with the slightest bit of intimacy.

Perhaps it dawned on him, as he stood up to go to his room, that Marlowe had been very reluctant to accept Navarro too. After all, it was her who first proposed that he be put to sleep and that they should take what resources they needed and head for London.

Marlowe's kindness wasn't kindness at all.

She had merely figured out that the way to soothe the dragon was to sing it to sleep, then wake it when a fire was needed.

Atoq had a slow burning temper, and was otherwise withdrawn and indifferent to people around him. He didn't like feeling indebted to people, he didn't like people trying to get close- it made him nervous, it forced him to simmer down and not lash out without a viable reason.

If Marlowe treated him as though she genuinely cared, then Atoq- perhaps by some craving of affection- would practically let her have her way. Anger was a natural defence to pain, wasn't that what all the books suggested? Now that he had gotten his head back in the game, Talbot though he had figured out that Atoq was simple and Marlowe had cracked him in the first week.

That dark look and scalding silence was just his game face- the equivalent of how Katherine Marlowe kept her cool and stone expression no matter what the situation was.

Both were dishonest, but also served a purpose.

For Marlowe, it made people step aside and let her assume control since she always appeared to be top of her game. For Navarro, it made him seem like he had no real interest in the events taking place around him, and so when he turned out to be pulling the strings behind the scene, it was the biggest twist of the day. With someone like Roman, that trait was suppressed and made Atoq seem more like a rabid dog on a leash- waiting for the muzzle Roman had put on him to be removed so that he could maul anything before turning on his owner and refusing to submit any longer.

Talbot's mood felt somewhat better now that he had drawn parallels.

Navarro was a dog, and Marlowe was a clever woman trying to tame him so that he would be a useful asset in hunting Nathan Drake. Meanwhile Talbot was better than this, an equal whom Marlowe could rely on.

* * *

"Release me" Navarro snapped at the man, his teeth barred in anger, but the truth was that he was going nowhere. His shoulder stung like someone had lit a fire in it, and struggling would only further aggravate the wound or cause the knife to go further in. He was lucky enough that from the angle that he had been holding Talbot, the bastard hadn't managed to lodge it in too deeply.

"Not gonna happen, sorry, mate. It's really nothing personal." Harry insisted, keeping his grip on his good arm firm and making sure he stayed put on the ledge of the bathtub. He really couldn't understand why Navarro refused to be helped when he was practically unable to stay standing by himself, and if the bruising and bloody nail marks along his injured arm said anything, Talbot had really been out for the kill.

Atoq grunted as he tried to get himself free again, his anger boiling at the treatment.

"Flynn" Marlowe's voice cut in sharply as she walked into the room with the First Aid kit in hand.

Harry released the man, understanding to leave the room- but he would stay outside to get some idea of what was going on. Marlowe looked like the big boss in this place.

Navarro, although free, found himself in too much pain to physically leave his seat, gripping his injured shoulder in hopes that the pressure would stave off his nausea. "Are you happy?" He grunted out through grit teeth. "Your lackey almost killed me" His dark gaze fixed on her with unspoken accusations, his attitude fully suggesting that he expected Marlowe to attempt to kill him but it was a wild thought and once the silence settled in, he seemed to calm down some and reassess his situation.

No. It wasn't Marlowe that encouraged Talbot to provoke him, it wasn't her that suggested Talbot pull a knife on him. That skill was something that he hadn't planned for, and judging by the swelling he could feel in his left leg, he had really pushed his boundaries. He had been too damn careless.

"Really now?" Marlowe walked over to him in slow, measured steps.

Atoq briefly wondered if she was expecting him to lash out at her, but it was _her_ who hit him.

Her palm struck him right across the face, the shock of it perhaps stinging more than it actually hurt- after all, he had enough experience with beatings to the face. It was Marlowe's hand that shook, but she kept her temper carefully simmering rather than allowing it to boil over.

"You hit me?!" Navarro was beyond all his wit with this one. Katherine Marlowe had just outright slapped him? He was baffled beyond rage.

"Yes, and I'll do a lot worse if you don't keep your mouth shut" She threatened, pressing down on the hand covering his stab wound to put her emphasis on what she would do.

Navarro should have been livid. He should have knocked her teeth out and taught her a lesson for treating him like a little kid, his cheek stinging with humiliation.

"Take a look at yourself, Navarro" The she-devil hissed at him. "How do you ever hope to get back at that cocky little brat, Drake, if you can't even conduct yourself in the proper manner and work with other people?"

"I don't need you-" His glare returned full force, his head turned up to look at her.

"Keep telling yourself that" Marlowe bit back, her cold glare meeting his burning one, the tension so much that they were practically in each other's breathing space.

Marlowe's hands were warm, his were cold and trembling with the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. His face had lost colour from blood loss, dark hair damp with perspiration and loose from its usual slicked back look. He was a right mess.

Katherine took in a deep breath.

"Take your shirt off and let me have a look" She finally instructed as she let out a soft sigh before moving back to set the medical kit on the nearby coffee table. "Seriously... blood all over the floor, all over the carpet, now the upholstery too" She clicked her tongue as though she was just dealing with a minor inconvenience.

Atoq had frozen in place, breathing hard but was otherwise immobile. He looked ready to pass out, and in all honesty, she was surprised he hadn't.

Marlowe turned back around once she'd retrieved the rubbing alcohol, some cotton wool and a whole lot of bandaging. "Come on. There's no need to be shy, I've seen it all before." She added, maybe to make light of the situation.

Navarro's silence was deafening, and that was never a good sign. Was he ignoring her? Was he plotting murder? "Sh- shut up" He grumbled out, maybe adding something about not needing help, but it was just very quiet and muddled sounding.

Marlowe had hit a nerve she hadn't really been aiming for, but her comment had been innocent natured- she had helped him with his shirt before. Sighing, she wondered briefly what was going through his mind that made him lose the ability to communicate when it came to being her kind. Maybe she should propose Talbot try it in hopes that they would at least get along well enough to not kill each other.

* * *

Harry grinned slightly to himself and turned to head down the corridor, inviting himself to two cans of beer from the fridge before heading to the living room.

Talbot had changed out of his messed-up suit into a simple white dress shirt and pants, and was still holding the pack of ice to his bruised face.

"Evening, mate" Flynn greeted casually as he dropped into the plush sofa and threw his legs up on the coffee table like it was his own house.

Talbot's brow twitched slightly, his gaze lingering on the offending limbs stretched out before him, but he didn't say anything. Just who the hell was this guy?

"Name's Flynn. Harry Flynn." The scarred man introduced, as though sensing his question.

"Talbot" Answered the older man, glad that he didn't have to shake his hand or anything, but was maybe a bit surprised when the second can was offered to him.

"To your survival" Harry toasted cheekily, making Talbot scoff and roll his eyes.

"I'm an elite, of course I wouldn't lose to that fool" He grumbled, popping the can open. So much for the finer things in life- but he just really needed a drink right now and it wasn't like this particular brand was cheap or bad.

"You mad he's dating your mum?" Flynn asked with a teasing tone, receiving a blank look that indicated Talbot had no idea what he was talking about. "Ms Marlowe? Found herself a _nice_ exotic lad, didn't she?" Harry knew that wasn't the case, but he was just trying to get a reaction.

Talbot's expression turned from confusion to surprise, to utter horrification at the idea that Flynn had. Had Marlowe told him _anything_ at all?

Harry Flynn seemed to think that Katherine Marlowe was Talbot's mother, who had met Atoq Navarro, who was trying to weasel her out of money under the guise of loving her while also not getting along with her son, Talbot, who hated Navarro.

It was obvious the man watched too many soap operas.

"No, God, no! Marlowe is my work partner, not my mother!" If Marlowe had heard him, Flynn wouldn't only have one side of his face ruined, that was for certain. "Navarro could dream about even getting this close to her"

Harry's mouth made a silent 'oh' before he chuckled to himself at the false misunderstanding and went back to nursing his beer. "Well, a cougar like that, I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted a piece of her" He added in a tone that was all implications.

Talbot lurched forward, grabbing the playboy by the collar and getting right into his face. "Don't you ever- _EVER_ \- use that degrading terminology when talking about Marlowe! Do you hear me?!" He seethed.

Flynn looked shocked at first, before a smirk stretched across his scarred lips. "Oh? Do I detect a hint of jealousy there, darling?" He teased, and Talbot almost immediately let him go, the colour showing in his cheeks. Flynn dusted himself off, still wearing the grin of a Cheshire Cat. "Don't worry, Talbot, your deepest darkest secret is safe with me" He pretended to pull an invisible zip across his mouth.

"Wh- what are you babbling about, y- you uncultured buffoon?" Talbot rambled, his voice going up just a pitch. "I would never have such impure feelings- I respect Marlowe!" He justified.

Flynn laughed and patted his shoulder as he sunk into the sofa beside him. "Listen, Tabby cat," The nickname would have normally made Talbot flay the skin from his very bones, but Talbot was too busy trying to keep his emotions in check. "There's no such thing as impure love" Another pat on the shoulder before the hand was withdrawn to dig around for his cigarette packet.

Talbot sat dead still, maybe hoping that Flynn would just get the hint and shut his mouth.

But- this was Flynn, and Flynn didn't shut his mouth.

"Just don't let her slip through your fingers without saying anything. No regrets and all that." Harry sighed as he took a drag from the now lit cigarette.

"Just shut up, you don't know what you're talking about!" The older man snapped, and probably just in time too since the other two occupants of the house came to join them.

Navarro looked more composed, despite leaning heavily on a crutch. His shirt had been changed to a comfortable cotton raglan shirt, a shoulder brace just visible under the white material.

Talbot almost felt smug that he had managed to leave a mark, but tried to keep the gloating expression off his face, idly juggling the melted ice pack between his hands.

"Sit here" He heard Marlowe instruct the Hispanic man, his gaze lifting to watch as she tried to help him but was brushed off.

Navarro was reacting in a tame manner again, but maybe the heavy dose of painkillers had something to do with that and he looked quite spaced out and still quite pale.

"Now that you've all so kindly rolled out the red carpet," Marlowe's composure was back to one hundred percent and she assumed control. "I would like to get things properly done around here. This gentleman is Harry Flynn, he's an extra" She introduced, putting emphasis on the last part as though to make it obvious how the hierarchy ran around here. "Flynn, this is Talbot, my right-hand man. This is Navarro, we've recently become work partners the three of us" She added briefly.

"Pleasure to meet you and all that" Flynn remarked from his seat beside Talbot, taking a big gulp from his can before looking at each of them with a flippant smile. "Now that we're all acquainted, can we get something to eat? I'm bloody starving".

As though his words had unlocked some kind of Pandora box, Talbot's stomach rumbled quietly and Marlowe gave a thin smile that reflected her bemusement at Flynn's lack of professionalism.

"Well, alright, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get some food" She sighed and briefly disappeared to get the Yellow Pages.

Talbot would have liked some 'real' food, but he was actually so hungry that he didn't care what it was they were having.

Flynn retrieved his phone from his back pocket, and Talbot happened to glance his screen saver.

"Is that your sweetheart?" It was his turn to get back at Flynn, even if Navarro was in the room.

Flynn looked confused for a moment before his face lit up as though Talbot had picked his favourite topic to talk about. "Mate, she blew my mind" He confided, looking at the gorgeous smile of the tanned beauty on his screen.

"Blew? Not blow-" Talbot caught himself, realising just how awkward that sounded without context. "You still..." He moved on swiftly, but drifted off as he wondered why he was asking. He didn't normally care about such trivial stuff- he was a working man with serious things to think about.

"Together? Heh, I wish" Harry let out a long, melodramatic sigh. "But that was Harry Flynn's little dream, not Chloe's" He added in a somewhat bitter tone.

Talbot didn't know what to say and so said nothing. It wasn't like Flynn deserved his sympathy or anything. The guy probably got around well enough not to worry about trivial things like reading books about Tsarina Catherine II and thinking about another Katherine. Then again, with a half-ruined face, did it count? That idly brought his attention to the man sitting across from them. Would anyone even look at Navarro? He was unruly, obviously didn't care about looking presentable and- ugh, he could smell that damn cologne even now which probably meant he had just showered. But perhaps past all that, and when he focused on him from a purely physical point of view, he wasn't so bad looking. Wait- did Talbot _really_ just think that?

"You're not catching a fever there, are you, tabby cat?" Flynn interrupted his embarrassing thoughts and he was almost just as grateful as he wanted to punch him.

"Who are you calling tabby cat?" He snapped.

"Settle down, boys" Marlowe cut in, setting the book down along with several new menus.

Talbot had noticed them before- leaflets for several restaurants and 'healthy' sandwich places- but he had never used them. They just appeared out of nowhere after the earlier argument about junk food with Navarro.

"Food is on me, lads" Harry announced as he stood up with a stretch.

"Where are you going?" Marlowe asked.

"Just tell me what you want, I'll get it. It'll be faster, promise" He informed her.

"Alright then, I'll write you a list" Marlowe agreed.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Sorry about the length of this chapter, but I didn't think it would be right to cut it in half and I wanted to get Harry integrated in with the villainous gang.

Who is your favourite villain so far? Let me know!

 **PLEASE READ AND REVIEW, I WOULD LIKE SOME INPUT OTHERWISE UPDATES MIGHT BE STAGGERED/STOPPED.**

WritingLevel-Meh.


	8. Dirty Laundry

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

Back after the hiatus!

Advice: If you haven't heard Kelly Rowland's 'Dirty Laundry', go check it out to know what's on the radio.

 _Please review- it encourages me to write more!_

* * *

 _"Let's do this dirty laundry, dirty laundry"_

Harry hummed along with the radio as he stepped into the laundry room with a basketful of clothes. The laundry room was in fact just a small space at the back of the kitchen that had been renovated by the home owner to house a washing machine and products. It was barely big enough to fit much in it, and Harry had to duck his head to avoid hitting the low ceiling, straightening up when the clothes were in the machine and he was back in the kitchen.

"Just what are you doing?" Talbot's voice came from behind him, sounding tired as he pulled the radio's plug out in irritation. It was seven in the morning.

"Oh, morning, sunshine" Flynn greeted with a quirky smile, shifting the empty basket against his hip as he leaned on the counter where Talbot was currently navigating around the multiple options of tea. "Sleep well?"

Talbot hated morning people. More specifically, morning people who didn't let him sleep in on his days off. Right now, Harry Flynn fitted that description. "Not with you around" He responded icily.

"Aw, come on, up all night thinking about me, tabby cat?" Flynn dodged a kitchen roll, laughing as he took a few steps away to safety. "You got any laundry?" He changed the topic swiftly.

"I don't need you to do my laundry, I'm perfectly capable" Of taking it to the laundromat. Because elites didn't waste time learning how to operate washing machines. Reasonable, right?

"Don't be like that, it's laundry day," The younger insisted. "Besides, I'd rather get it done now, got lots of stuff to do today"

Talbot looked at him for a long moment, Harry studiously observing the window which looked out onto the sunny porch of the rented house. It was a lot smaller than Navarro's one on the coast, this one being located in a small village a couple miles out from the Saint Dismas Cathedral. In fact, it was more a stone cottage than an actual house, no more than fifteen identical ones filling the village, but it was nice and cosy with three bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom.

"Stuff for Marlowe?" Her right-hand man finally asked.

Flynn looked back at him with a casual shrug. "Yeah, and some chores here and there, got to make myself useful for the boss lady"

"What sort of chores?" Talbot prompted impatiently. He didn't like the fact he had no idea what Marlowe was sending Harry to do, mostly because she wasn't sending him to do anything today. Was he really that undependable?

"Oh, you know, a bit of scouting, getting some necessary goods-" Harry made his way towards the door slowly. "-raiding your room!" He announced now that he was a safe distance away.

"Wait what?" Raiding his- how was that a chore? "I said I'd do it myself!" He was after laundry, he finally figured.

"Why are you being so loud in the morning?" Navarro asked as he entered the kitchen, looking grumpy as usual as he set three empty mugs in the sink from last night. He had obviously stayed up till only an hour ago, as per usual.

"None of your business" Talbot scoffed as he went back to setting a kettle to boil for his tea.

"Yeah?" Navarro didn't seem very bothered by his snark, reaching for a new mug from the cupboard. Probably for coffee. "I need your ass today"

"You need my what?" Talbot was dumbfounded by his language, having to remind himself that he wasn't a native speaker and had learned English in America- not that he considered it proper English though.

"Shoreline are on the move," Navarro went on. "It looks like they're figuring out that it's not the main grounds, they're taking their time though so we need to get to that cemetery before that bastard Drake shows up" He explained fully for a change.

Talbot had a brief moment of remembering what Marlowe had told him about at least trying to get along with Navarro, and decided to hold back his sarcasm. Maybe with this, she would once again remember who was truly the one worthy of her partnership. "Very well then. After breakfast?" He proposed.

Atoq took a moment to look at the clock on the wall, probably mentally calculating how long it would take them to get there. "Suit yourself" He was mostly free today anyway, he needed the break and to walk a bit further than usual so that he could finish the recuperation routine he was so sick of. Two years was enough of his life wasted, he couldn't even remember the last time he had actually done something to enjoy himself. Did he have any hobbies? Even reading was no longer a leisurely activity.

"Then at ten, I want to take Marlowe out today" Talbot decided, moving away with his tea to set it on the small table.

* * *

Flynn quietly pushed the door as close to closed as possible, stepping into the room and setting the empty basket down. Talbot's side was obviously the neater one, while Navarro's was an organised mess of papers, journals and newspaper cuttings. Harry moved to pick up a more recently used journal, flicking through it. Pirates? Some ship called The Fancy- so they were after pirate treasure. That would be a first in his books. He was just glad that they weren't involved with some megalomaniac war criminal. Now what was this treasure worth? The scarred man didn't have the chance to find out, carefully returning the journal to its place when he heard the step he had purposely kicked in creak loudly.

It was hard to imagine a man who had been on crutches until a month ago going out and about on his own, so it was probably Marlowe since her room was the only one on the floor above while his own was actually just the dusty attic with a mattress. Flynn quickly busied himself with moving the clothes from the hamper to the basket just as the door was knocked on.

Navarro might not have liked to admit it, but Flynn knew that he struggled and pushed himself a lot more than he should, simply because he was impatient. Harry might have thought it ridiculous if his face didn't itch from time to time and he couldn't remember the burning sensation on the healing skin just from being exposed to the air, but he very well could and he still had nightmares about it. Now he was left with a 4 inch sealing scar along the right side of his face, silvery and pale against his complexion and very obvious even though the stitches had been removed in around a week. The rest of his body had healed well, but his hearing had never quite been the same because of the explosion but he made up for that with an aid in his worst ear.

"Talbot? Are you up?" Marlowe's voice came through.

"Good morning, boss" Flynn greeted cheerfully.

His voice prompted her curiosity, so she pushed the door open. "Flynn? What are you doing in here?" She asked, seeming confused but luckily not suspicious.

"You know, just making myself useful. Laundry day, right?" He stood up, shifting the full basket up again and giving her a charming smile. Not for the purpose of charming her at all though. He had found out that that wouldn't work from day one, and it had been two months now and they were well into spring.

"I see. Good morning." Marlowe actually smiled back, her smile not joyous or anything of the sort, but it was pleasant. So pleasant that Flynn was awestruck for a moment, surprised that she could make such an expression. Marlowe was known for her strict professionalism and polite detachment, but he supposed she could enjoy a good holiday too. Unlike Talbot who was always snarky and wearing an attitude that rivalled Nathan's in sass.

"You got anything for me to take down? I know lady's private stuff and all that, I respect it" He offered, following her out of the room, and noting the soft blue satin lounge robe she was wearing. Someone had probably woke her up with all the noise.

"No, don't you worry about me, I have myself handled" Marlowe was also very vigilant about keeping a line between those who worked for her and those who worked with her. "Did you get the things I asked for?" She inquired as she led the way down the stairs towards the kitchen.

"Sure did, ma'am" He confirmed, placing the clothes aside in the laundry room for when the first lot finished. "Moved them to the shed incase the landlord paid a visit" He informed her as he removed the bandana tied over his hair and shrugged on the sleeveless biker jacket over his white shirt. It was spring, but the breeze was still somewhat chilly from the rain clouds that visited frequently.

"Bring them here" She instructed before turning her attention to Talbot and Navarro who weren't yelling at each other for a change. "Good morning, gentleman"

"Good morning, Marlowe" Talbot replied, looking up from the map he and the other man were inspecting. "Tea or coffee?" He offered, moving from his seat to give it to her since there were only two chairs.

"I'll have a Yorkshire, thank you" She responded, taking the free seat. "What are your plans for today?" She asked Atoq, now also looking at the map that was covered in notes and technical diagrams and sketches. Most of it was in Spanish though, so she reserved her attention to the diagrams.

"Taking Talbot to check the gravesite, Shoreline are getting... impatient" He answered carefully.

Marlowe sensed trouble. "I thought we were going to wait for Drake to show his face" She stated in a measured tone.

Navarro ran a hand through his hair in a stressed manner. "They're using dynamite, they'll blow up any leads before we can get to them" He told her.

Marlowe had certainly been hoping to avoid a confrontation with Shoreline and their boss, but things would get complicated- especially since Drake had proved he could skip a few clues and still solve matters, but from how long he was taking to show up, Marlowe had initially thought that Navarro had the wrong place altogether, but Flynn had confirmed to her that he had seen Nathan with one Rafe Adler before Shoreline even got involved. From then on, however, Nathan had disappeared off the map while Rafe continued to scour the Cathedral grounds. But that had proved to her two things. One; that Navarro was a force to be reckoned with in terms of intelligence, and so was a valuable ally as she had suspected. Two; that Nathan did not work well with others and was probably seeking the treasure out on his own. Now Mr. Adler was another matter altogether. What was his relationship with Nathan Drake? Could they still be working together but from a distance?

"And I'm guessing you'll be needing these?" Harry prompted as he entered the kitchen, heaving a wooden crate and placing it on the nearest counter with an 'oof'.

Navarro's eye landed on the box for a long moment before shifting towards Marlowe and looking strangely... concerned?

"Guns?" He questioned, shifting from his seat to retrieve one of the weapons.

Marlowe and Talbot both watched him, but Flynn didn't seem to share their concern, merely standing aside as the merchandise was inspected.

Navarro picked up a sniper rifle, checking the magazine which was currently unloaded before closing it up and testing the weight in his hands. "Not quite the same as a shotgun... but not bad for long range damage" He muttered as he inspected the scope, watching something outside the door leading to the garden for a moment.

"So... the real deal or not?" Harry asked as the Mazur LDR was replaced into the crate and an Agarwal .40 was retrieved.

Atoq let out a long sigh. "Any gun is the real deal if you know how to use it" He answered.

"Where did you get your hands on these? Arms dealer?" Marlowe walked over, inspecting the content.

"I know a couple people in the business" Harry gave a casual shrug, wondering what was running through Navarro and Marlowe's head. "Don't worry, I made sure everything was covered so no one will be asking for names or licences" He added, rubbing his hands against his jeans in a nervous manner. He didn't like the way Navarro was looking at him. It wasn't a look of praise nor a particularly unpleasant look, just a kind of empty look that made it difficult to determine what he was thinking about. Harry didn't like this uncertainty and just looked towards Talbot.

Talbot was watching Navarro.

"That's a job well done" Marlowe finally broke the silence, making Flynn relax some as Navarro's attention was redirected elsewhere.

"A bit lacking in ammunition," Talbot rained on his parade as he retrieved several of the boxes loaded with bullets, rifling through them for the correct ones. "Best not use them if we can help it"

"I'll see what I can do about it, but from what I'm gathering, you're not gonna want to be directly confronting Shoreline" Flynn's words made both Marlowe and Navarro turn their gaze on him once more. "I mean... c'mon, everyone in the business knows not to mess with a paramilitary run by none other than Nadine Ross. Right?"

"You're right" Marlowe spoke with an airy tone, wearing a thin smile to accompany.

Harry felt his skin flush with anxiety. Had he said something wrong? They had just been talking about Shoreline so he had assumed that-

"How well can you handle a gun?" Navarro asked as he replaced the lid on the box.

"... Pretty decently, I'd say." Harry answered after a moment of hesitation, wiping his sweaty hands on his jeans and trying not to think much of it when a simple Agarwal .40 was passed to him with a box of bullets.

"Keep it on you, get a silencer." The Hispanic told him.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

What made Marlowe and Navarro stop? Something fishy is going on… Next chapter coming soon!

 **PLEASE READ AND REVIEW, I WOULD LIKE SOME INPUT OTHERWISE UPDATES MIGHT BE STAGGERED/STOPPED.**

WritingLevel-Meh.


	9. Avalanche

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

Things are finally getting a move on in Scotland, it's winter again!

 _Please review- it encourages me to write more!_

* * *

"Are you sure this is the place?" Flynn asked, shivering as a pile of snow fell from the tree tops and sprinkled down his back. He was freezing, and though he could have dressed warmer, he was expecting to be moving around a lot more than this.

"Shut your mouth if you're not going to help." Navarro grumbled at him, shuffling along and brushing snow off another gravestone to compare the dates to the print out in his journal.

"We _would_ help if you'd just tell me what you're looking for." Talbot huffed, rolling his eyes.

"1659… 1699" Navarro told them slowly as he moved through the graveyard towards the back, past an open graveyard and through some weeds, inspecting different headstones.

"What? You mean that one?" Flynn asked, casually indicating a grave with crossed swords at its head.

The other man paused to have a look, briefly comparing things before moving closer. "That skull is facing the wrong way, it's not it" He dismissed, about to move on, but Talbot yanked his sleeve.

"No, look." He insisted, pointing more accurately towards the neck of the skull, but it was clear from Navarro's frustrated expression that he couldn't see what he was talking about. "And you call yourself an archaeologist." He sighed, moving to show him that it could move.

Atoq glared darkly at him when nothing happened for a solid minute, but they both nearly jumped out of their skin as Harry- who had been admiring the scenery off the cliffside- suddenly yelped loudly and fell through the floor as a staircase opened up under him.

"You were saying...?" Talbot prompted as he looked down at the dazed Brit.

"Hello up there" Harry waved, needing a moment to pick himself up, brushing snow off his leather jacket.

"Let's just get a move on, the sooner we can get through this, the less time I have to spend with you." Navarro scoffed, descending the stairs.

Talbot glared daggers into his back, looking very tempted to boot him up the backside, but restrained himself because it wouldn't get anyone anywhere. "The feeling is mutual." He snarked instead, ignoring Harry as he followed Navarro down and into what looked like a crypt.

"So… pirate treasure in a… crypt?" Flynn commented, rubbing his sore lower back. "With a secret door? You'd think your lad Avery would've hid it better."

Navarro didn't dignify his line of thought with a reply, moving to inspect the statues inside instead.

"Unlikely." Talbot spoke with a huffy tone, switching on his torch and letting the light flood the chamber as they went about inspecting their surroundings.

By the look of the heavy cobwebs and dust, the place had not been disturbed for a very long time, so they could be sure that neither Nathan nor Rafe had been down here. Nor Shoreline for that matter, judging by the lack of explosives and brainless goons.

"So…" Talbot sighed as he came to stand in front of the locked door on the other side of the wall with the statues. "What now, genius?" He asked sarcastically, turning to the Hispanic man who seemed to be staring intently at the wall behind him.

"Yeah, what now?" Harry prompted, fidgeting with his cigarette lighter.

"Watch this." Atoq snatched the lighter right out of his hand.

"Hey!" He whined. "That's dangerous."

Navarro chose to ignore him as he lit the lamp, standing back to watch as the flames spread along the length of the wall casting lights onto the shuttered door. "Get your asses out the way." He waved them aside before shifting to twist the wheels at the base of the statues.

"Ah, I see. Constellations and pirates, of course." Talbot noted in an unenthusiastic tone, though he had to admit that it was pretty amazing when the shutter pulled up to reveal- no, not a door- but a window.

"So, what was the deal with this Avery guy and having a total boner for this Dismas geezer?" Flynn asked crudely, letting out a whistle at the sight of the crosses and the cave across the expanse of sea and cliffs.

"Maybe if you picked up a book instead of whores, you'd know." Navarro clearly didn't have the patience to stand there and explain things to him, limping over to see what had been revealed and quickly snapping a shot with his phone. Unlike Nathan, he also didn't have the patience for on-site artistic observations.

"You really need to get laid, you know that?" Flynn remarked. "Terrible, terrible temper there- okay, okay, I need that!" His attitude quickly changed when Navarro waved his lighter at him, already walking away.

"I think we're done here." Talbot sighed, climbing up the steps and twisting the skull again. The longer it took Shoreline to figure out that someone had snatched up all the clues from under their noses, the better. There was no need to cause a mess like the Drake brothers had done at the Rossi Estate. More than anything, there was no need for that Cross that Rafe seemed to have wasted his time trying to get legally. A little bit of palm greasing and they easily got to inspect the item without having to take it away from the auction at all. It was times like these when the power of Marlowe's Hermetic order really came through.

Although, with everything happening, Talbot had been extremely tempted to leave a tarot card behind- just for the sake of tormenting Nathan Drake, but Marlowe insisted that everything was to be kept under wraps until they could be sure that they had Nathan where they wanted.

"Doesn't that mean we have to go back towards the Cathedral, lads?" Flynn asked.

"Oh, don't worry about that, I came prepared." Talbot grinned confidently.

* * *

"Oh yeah, that hit the spot" Knot sighed as he placed his empty beer bottle down with a careless thunk.

"Ya think?" Orca agreed, already on his second bottle.

A comfortable silence fell over them as they enjoyed their well-earned dinner. Being part of Shoreline was a difficult job, especially when you had someone who pushed you as hard as Nadine did, but they were both in it for the money and the action so neither had any complaint to voice.

Recently however...

"What d'ya think's got her in a pickle?" Knot was the first to ask as he spotted Nadine march out into the snow. Probably to yell at the goons to put their foot down and get more explosives going.

"Dunno, china. I learnt not ta ask questions a long time ago" Answered the older soldier. Unlike him, Orca had been in the business for a lot longer, been turned away from enough military organisations and eventually ended up here where he learned the ins and outs right from the bottom.

"Maybe when you're not killing things once a week, you should start asking" The younger countered, focusing back on his bowl of soup.

It had been a general issue among the Shoreline soldiers, ever since Nadine had teamed up with Rafe Adler, all they seemed to be doing was blowing things up. The highlight of their days was whenever someone wasn't paying attention and got hit by a flying piece of debris, in which case, everyone just laughed at them and made sure that they never forgot about _that one time_. Knot wasn't the first to mention this, Orca had to smack one guy around the head for it just yesterday, but he found the dissatisfaction reasonable. This wasn't what they had signed up for. Sure, they were getting three decent square meals a day and all the beer they could ever want, but they were militants not TNT and Dynamite specialists.

"Give it another week, china. We're getting good dough from this" Orca finally responded.

Rafe was many things, but stingy- he wasn't. Only, most of the men thought him to be odd, and Orca knew that 'odd' entailed someone who was a spoiled brat with too much money, who probably didn't get enough hugs from his parents, and is desperately trying to prove his masculinity at all times. He probably wasn't the first they came in contact with who could be described in that way, but most of them were warlords and land owners who wanted a private army to do their dirty work. And yet here they were, trying to find some 'long lost' pirate treasure. None of the men bought it. They felt like they were on a wild goose chase, and half questioned if Nadine had lost her mind in agreeing to such a contract. Maybe they should, after all, talk to her personally.

* * *

"Rafe, we need to talk." Nadine stated firmly as she threw the door open and walked into the barely-in-tact chamber which acted as their temporary headquarters while they were in the vicinity.

Rafe ignored her for all of two minutes before letting a long stressed out sigh pass his lips as he lifted his gaze from his charts to her face. "What, Nadine? What is it?" He asked irately, clearly not in the mood to listen to her. But was he ever?

Nadine shifted her weight from one foot to the other, biting her tongue not to make a scathing remark. " _Listen_ , Rafe…" She began slowly, peeling her gloves off and dropping them on the table as she made her way around to stand beside him and place a hand on his lower back. "This whole treasure hunt of yours, you're blowing a lot of money on it…" She stated, her hand gently caressing his back- perhaps in some attempt to coerce him into taking her advice.

"Yeah, so?" Rafe sighed again, but this time it was lighter.

The South African woman, perhaps encouraged by this, slowly moved her other arm across his front, hugging him loosely from behind. "I was just thinking that maybe we could speed up the process just a tiny bit if we…" Her chin came to rest atop his shoulder which prompted him to turn his chin to look at her. Nadine paused just for a moment, admittedly only now appreciating the ring of brown around his pupil, flecks of gold glittering in the blue irises. "… Maybe speed up the process a bit?" She finished quietly.

Rafe gave her an empty smile and let out a soft breath. "And how do you suppose we do that, Nadine?" He questioned in a tone that suggested he was asking her to amuse him.

Nadine gave a flippant shrug. "Get a crane, some stronger explosives. We can level the Cathedral all in one day, sort through the rubble by the week. Then we'll really know if there's something here, won't we?" She proposed, trying to make it sound like it was the best solution.

The man shook his head and proceeded to quickly rifle through his papers. "No, no, we won't be needing to hire a crane or anything of the sort because I've figured it out, you see- see here?" He asked as he showed her a map, tapping the marked graveyard area. "I think we didn't realise it before, but it's definitely got to be here."

Nadine had to resist the urge to let out a huff at Rafe's persistence on this one matter, if it were up to her, she was certain they would have already found whatever stupid thing was here. "Okay then." She agreed shortly.

"Great. Then we'll get everything sorted by the morning." He shifted to start packing his papers in preparation for the relocation, pausing as he was on his way to pick up the master key to the Cathedral- the part that was still intact- only to find that it wasn't where he had left it.

Rafe took in a deep breath before turning to Nadine with an expectant look.

The Shoreline leader, noticing the odd silence, looked up from the map she had been studying. "What?" She demanded to know.

"Give me the key, Nadine. All I ask is that you put things back where you get them from, it's not that hard."

"Don't patronise me, I don't have your key." Nadine snapped, losing her patience with his tone.

"What do you mean you don't have it? Where's the damn key, Nadine?" Rafe was also losing his temper, but in the tense silence that followed, they must have both noticed the oddness of it.

Nadine hadn't been near the Cathedral, nor had she any reason to be. Rafe hadn't gone back there since the morning and now it was nearing sun set. He was certain he had left it on the crates in the corner of the room, and to his knowledge, it had been there up until he returned from his dinner break.

Wait…

The woman moved before he did, heading outside and calling for the men who were in the vicinity to gather while Rafe frantically began to look around. It wasn't like they couldn't make another key or break the doors open with all the equipment they had, but the fact it was missing meant that someone else had it and that person was planning to use it.

"It's not here, damn it!" Rafe punched his desk before moving to exit the chamber just as Nadine was returning to talk to him.

"Several of the men said they saw someone go in." She informed him.

"Yeah? And what? Did he just disappear?" Rafe snapped impatiently.

Nadine put her hands out as though to tell him to rein in his temper. "He wasn't one of mine. Knot said he had a softer face, said he might have been an Englishman."

"Do you employ people like that? Why did no one do anything?"

"They said he was in and out without anyone noticing. He said it was odd because they'd never seen him before, but no one said anything because he seemed to know what he was doing." Nadine justified.

"Find him! I bet he's working with those damned Drake brothers!"

* * *

Nadine didn't like this arrangement. Her men had spread out in preparation to intercept Sam and Nathan while her and a small detachment searched the grounds under Rafe's instruction.

If they weren't careful, they could run into something… or someone lurking around.

"There's someone here. I know it. Come out!" She barked, eyes darting around the corners of the narrow hallway in search of shadows.

"Well done…" The accent was distinctly British when the voice spoke from the end of the hallway. "You caught me." Talbot stepped out from the corner at the end of the passage, wearing a victorious smirk.

Nadine felt her stomach sink as she noticed all too late. "Wait-!" Nadine instructed sharply, holding her hand out to stop Knot from going any further, the mercenary's foot hovering barely a couple inches over a tripwire but he didn't manage to stop in time and a loud beep sounded before a rumble was set off from the side where they had come from. "RUN!" She yelled, dashing forward.

Knot wasn't too far behind her, but they could both hear the other Shoreliners get crushed as the walls and ceiling caved in from C4s being set off.

"After him!" Nadine roared, sprinting after Talbot as he disappeared around the corner again.

All Talbot needed to do was buy time. With enough time, they could get the puzzle solved and they could get out of the Cathedral without incident, but Talbot hadn't been counting on was to get chased through it all. The explosions had been set up as a diversion tactic if anyone got close, but Nadine was fast and no amount of vaulting and dodging and twisting around corners seemed to lose her.

"I've got him!" Knot exclaimed just as Talbot sprinted out into the open antechamber.

"Damn it all!" Talbot felt a sharp pain as a bullet hit his thigh, sending him stumbling off balance until he rolled across the floor and came to a screeching halt about quarter of the way across.

"Nice work." Nadine huffed, indicating for Knot to restrain him while she moved to inspect the map underfoot.

Talbot hissed, drawing a sharp breath in through his teeth as he was grabbed and half pulled up in a harsh manner. It would all be for nothing if Shoreline got their clues- or worse, if they were killed here. Where the hell had Navarro disappeared to? He quickly scanned the chamber, seeing movement from the opposite door just as Knot pressed a gun to the back of his head.

"Where's the key-?" Nadine began to ask as she turned on him, but she was interrupted by the sound of Rafe shouting and cursing.

"How- dare you-?!" Rafe struggled, his legs briefly flailing about as they struggled to find purchase with him being yanked back by the much taller man, the muscled arm drawn across his throat crushing his windpipe.

His exclamation seemed to have earned Knot's attention, briefly halting him in his tracks where he had Talbot's arm twisted at the elbow and his knee planted firmly in his back to keep him down.

"Get off him or this brat pays the price" Navarro warned steadily, ignoring Rafe's attempt to wriggle free as he tightened his grip just enough to really make him struggle but not enough to knock him out.

Talbot took the moment to catch his breath, his mind racing. What the hell was Navarro doing? There was no way he actually thought they could both get out unscathed? Had the man actually come back to save him? No, no way! Surely it was because he thought he couldn't get very far limping on his own.

Knot seemed in a bit of a dilemma himself. If he let Talbot go, what guarantee was there that he wouldn't find himself with a knife in his gut? If he didn't let Talbot go, Rafe would die and then the whole operation was over. What more was that Nadine would definitely lay the blame on him.

"Y- you think- that this is it?" Rafe's whole attitude changed suddenly, alerting Talbot.

What caused the change?

"Navarro-!" He barely got his partner's name out before Atoq found himself being hit in the ribs really hard by Adler, forcing him back a moment.

Rafe ran for safety while one Nadine Ross came charging at Navarro, and Talbot had never imagined what it would look like for a whole six foot two to be brought down by a measly five foot five- but if he had to describe it, it was like watching the titanic split in half- only a lot less emotional. An impressive feat, but he didn't have time to be thinking about that, and used Knot's surprise to overthrow the mercenary. In one instant he was under him, in the next, he had delivered a hard blow to his face with his elbow and quickly rolled out to regain his footing.

"Give it back, you bastard!" Nadine demanded, looking like she was going claw Navarro's face off but he had grabbed her hands and in one ditch effort shoved his knee up and into her stomach, kicking her over his head.

"Get down and stay down, bitch!" He hissed, soon discovering that he would have a heck of a harder time with her than he had with Rafe.

Nadine threw a hard punch to his gut, following it up with another one to the ribs where he had just been hit earlier, causing him to stagger. "Who's the bitch now?" She scoffed.

Talbot on the other side had managed to use his momentum to hit Knot a good few times in points that would ensure he didn't get up for a while. "Navarro! The key!" He demanded, whirling around to witness the man getting kneed in the abdomen and sent to the floor.

"A little... busy at the moment" Navarro coughed, holding his stomach as a horrid mix of blood and saliva dripped from his mouth. Had he lost a tooth? He felt like she had unhinged his jaw even if that wasn't the case.

Talbot cursed and ran to cover for him, for a brief moment overwhelming the woman with a quick sweep behind her feet to knock her on her arse, about to stomp on her when she caught his foot and pulled it out from under him, tripping him over while she quickly rolled out of the way.

Nadine now knew who had the key and she flew at Navarro with the same determination she had earlier, only she missed because Talbot's leg kicked her at the back of the knee, making her fall again.

"What the-?!" Navarro managed to regain his footing, only to have a gun drawn across his neck and he was yanked back harshly by Knot, stopping him from teaming up with Talbot.

A gun was more rigid than an arm so it proved less of a noose around his neck than Knot had obviously thought, the Hispanic man bringing his hands up to push the weapon away as much as possible. But Rafe, now less likely to be picked on because of his height, decided to re-enter the fray, using Navarro's current predicament to get his own revenge by kicking him repeatedly in the abdomen and ribs.

Talbot didn't have time to worry about anyone but himself, Nadine socking him in the face and sending him stumbling. He managed to retain his balance by some miracle or perhaps through the terrifying knowledge that if he ended up on his ass, he wouldn't be able to find his feet again. Nadine was brutal, making even him- who had close combat training- struggle. If he had his knife, he was confident that this would be a different sort of fight altogether.

Navarro found his opening, a very narrow one, but he was in a situation where even the smallest of opportunities could save a life. In one crazy move, he grabbed the body of the HS39 firmly and used it to lift Knot right off his feet and hurl him over his head at Adler.

The petite man had the misfortune of having the full mass land on him, while the weapon remained in Navarro's hands. The pair of them landed painfully in a tangle of limbs on the floor, Knot still struggling to comprehend what the hell just happened and why he was staring at the ceiling in a dazed manner.

"Ugh, this is not happening" Rafe drawled, dizzy from the unexpected impact and trying to crawl his way free from under the heavy mercenary. "Get off me, damn the lot of you!"

But two particular sounds made everything stop. The first being the sound of the gun safety being clicked off, Nadine finding the barrel aimed at her. The second was an incredibly loud rumble from somewhere down below.

Everyone froze.

"What was that?" Knot was the first to ask, having now sat up and let Rafe free.

"Hush!" Talbot shushed him, holding his hand out as he listened intently, looking towards the ceiling as dust and small bits of debris crumbled down.

Nadine waited, hearing another loud rumble that seemed to come from below again.

Navarro looked down, frowning as he watched cracks slowly spread between the stone work from the impact of Knot and Rafe's combined weight hitting the floor in the centre of the room.

Knot also seemed to have noticed it and was very carefully inching away while Rafe remained frozen in the middle.

"It's collapsing-!" No sooner were those words out of Talbot's mouth than Nadine once again hurled herself at Atoq, knocking him to the ground.

The HS39 slid across the floor with a clatter of plastic and metal.

"Navarro!" Talbot watched as the ground caved in, a familiar terror lighting in his stomach like a fire as he watched Nadine Ross and Atoq Navarro fall with it, both yelling.

"Sir!" Knot scrambled to get Rafe, yanking him towards the exit by the back of his shirt to hurry him along as he nearly slipped with them.

Dust kicked up everywhere, more bits of the roof also falling in while old wooden support beams became visible where the floor had once been in the centre of the room. More and more continued to crumble until Talbot was left fearing that he would also be on his way down, but the avalanche of tiles, stone and wood halted nearly as soon as it had started, leaving only the outer edges of the chamber intact.

Fortunately, the wooden beams were at a decent enough location that he could find his way towards the door which Adler and Knot had just left from, but even so, he was shook.

The last time something like this had happened, he had watched Marlowe drown in quicksand and the horrid taste which rose in the back of his mouth told him that he was reliving that moment just now. Once again, something had gone wrong and his partner had been lost to an uncertain fate. But Talbot couldn't bring himself to move, feeling extremely nauseous the longer he looked at the pit in the centre of the room. He needed to get out of here and find his way back to Marlowe, but it took him a full five minutes to be able to get his feet working again and he held his breath as he jumped from his little spot towards one of the beams, wincing at his injured thigh. He had to put his arms out to keep his balance, but otherwise, he managed to scale along them until he made it to the exit.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

A long chapter but a lot more action. Navarro and Talbot finally run into Shoreline, but is the enemy of their enemy really their friend at this point? What happened to Navarro and Nadine? Guess you'll have to read the next chapter to find out!

 _Please Read and Review._

WritingLevel-Meh


	10. New Bonds and Treachery

Uncharted: The Enemy of my Enemy

 **Author's Note:**

I'm on a roll here!

 _Please_ _ **review**_ _\- it encourages me to write more!_

* * *

"Unh…" Nadine groaned, her head ringing as she forced herself to turn onto her back, her entire body singing in agony from the drop. Her eyes opened blearily, staring up at the darkness extending above for a couple of minutes as she tried to clear her head and vision.

She couldn't quite remember how she ended up here, lying in a pile of snow that had probably broken her fall and in turn saved her from a broken neck, but her body was numb from the cold and her movements jerky and sluggish as she moved to sit up slowly.

Looking around, the woman soon discovered that she was in a narrow chamber with high walls dug out of stone and earth and supported by wooden beams half rotting with damp and age. It was a surprise that the entire thing hadn't crumbled years ago, but it was a definite explanation of why the floor above had caved in.

The cold air here stung her cheeks and burned her nose when she tried to breathe in, but since her fingers were already blued and numb, there wasn't much pain from them past the initial sting. How long had she been lying there? Her mind was foggy and she could feel an intense headache coming on too, however, her priority was to get to her feet and find her bearings in the dimness.

The only light entering the place came from above, measly stands of lethargy-inducing bluish rays cast down through the holes in the ceiling.

"What the…?" Squinting, Nadine spotted what looked like a body not too far from her, the figure motionless and lying on its front.

A dead mercenary perhaps? Maybe his radio had survived.

Scrambling to her feet unsteadily, the Shoreline leader had to put her arms out for balance as the snow crumbled under her boots from the freezing temperatures, making her curse mentally as a cracking sound followed the further she walked and the thinner the snow became.

This was no floor- well, maybe some of the tiles had survived around the outer edges of the chamber or something- but what she was walking on was definitely ice, and if it broke, she was sure to die of shock in the freezing water beneath it.

"Hey…" She called out, her voice sounding shaky and somewhat far away even to her own ears. She had probably hit her head on the way down and the concussion was really slowing her mental processes. "Hey, wake up." She tried again, keeping her voice down, perhaps out of fear that it would disturb anymore of her surroundings or speed up the cracking of the ice.

There was no stirring from the body, so maybe it was a corpse after all.

"Shit." Nadine huffed as she reached the centre of the room, seeing her breath mist before her.

The centre of a structure was always its weakest point, but Nadine couldn't risk how long it would take her to move outwards again and from the looks of it, the body was lying on more stable ground since it was closer to the outside of the chamber.

 _CRACK._

The sound made her wince as it echoed loudly, prompting some snow to fall from the floor above and sprinkle down on her.

"Alright… okay, I can do this." She muttered to herself, trying her best not to give in to the growing sense of nausea in her stomach. "Almost there." She encouraged herself, trying to slide her feet across to keep from applying too much pressure onto one spot by lifting her feet. "Okay now, let's see that radio."

Her left hand reached out ever so carefully to lay on the motionless man's side to support herself, her other one shakily searching along his belt for the radio, but she paused as she noticed warmth.

"Hey, hey, are you alive?" Nadine shifted to get closer, gripping his shirt to turn him on his back so she could see his face, surprise setting in as she realised it was in fact Atoq Navarro. Shoving away, the woman cursed, quickly looking around for a moment before focusing on his face. "The son of a bitch is still alive… aw, hell." She whispered, searching for her gun, but her holster was empty. She must have lost it in the scuffle, and she hadn't exactly been carrying a knife of any sort on her.

Navarro grunted as he slowly began to regain conscience, urging her to move forward again and start searching him for any weapons.

Surely, he must have something on him that she could use, she didn't care if she had to kill him with it, the bastard deserved it. A quick unzipping of his coat and a pat down revealed a handgun in his chest rig holster, a notebook of some description and a compact first aid kit in a pouch attached to his utility belt.

Nadine could make use of these, so she quickly slid the gun behind her belt and stuffed the notebook into the pouch, making to unfasten the rig which proved much more challenging since she would have to get it off his shoulders first. "Come on…"

Navarro suddenly jerked up, their heads colliding from the uncalculated action and sending them rolling in opposite directions.

"Damn it!" Nadine winced, clutching her nose and checking for blood as she felt the warm trickle begin to drip down her nose. Fortunately, it wasn't broken but it still bled from the impact.

"Just what the _hell_ were you doing?" The man hissed at her as he managed to sit up, holding a hand to his forehead while his other searched for his gun. The holster was empty, and he very quickly found out why as the barrel of his own Desert was aimed at him.

"Taking your things." Nadine stated blatantly. "Hands behind your head," She instructed. "I'll be taking that as well." She indicated his gear. "Slowly now, and don't try anything funny or I'll put a God damn bullet in that head of yours."

Atoq snarled at her, very clearly displeased with the turn of events, but he had little choice but to follow her orders at the moment. If only he could get to the switchblade in his boot. Very slowly, he made to shrug off his coat, feeling extremely stiff from the bad landing earlier, but just like her, he had been fortunate to have his land cushioned by snow so the maximum of it was some heavy bruising along his back and arm, along with a sprained wrist that hurt but was mostly numbed by the cold. He was sure it would swell up and cause him serious grief as soon as he got moving again, but he would try his best to not show it for now.

"What's that?" Nadine's voice brought his attention to her again.

"What?" He growled, feeling the bite of the cold on his exposed arms since he was only wearing a simple black t-shirt underneath.

"Hands behind your head." She snapped, pressing the gun to his jaw which prompted him to tilt his head away from it and moved his arms up as she moved closer. "Is that another holster?" The woman demanded to know, inspecting his shoulder brace. There was only so high he could lift his right arm, no thanks to Talbot stabbing him several months ago and now landing on it, though he hissed at her through his teeth when she pushed it forcefully higher to inspect for a gun.

"Don't touch my arm, you bitch" Navarro snapped back, tempted to punch her for her audacity, but the sound of the safety being clicked off stopped any temperamental and reckless thoughts he might have been having.

"Not a pretty accident, I imagine." Nadine stated evenly, wearing what could only be described as a victorious smile as she kicked his coat away on purpose. He wouldn't be needing it if she was going to kill him anyway. "Your gear. Slowly. I don't think you'd want that arm of yours anymore hurt."

If Atoq was sadistic, then he had met his match. While Nadine wasn't the kind to unnecessarily cause pain for her own satisfaction, she did like to have the last laugh and to teach those who underestimated her a lesson. Navarro would pay for talking to her in such a derogatory manner.

Navarro was seething, on the other hand, not because he felt like she was a threat to his masculinity for her strength, independence and leadership like Rafe felt, but because the tables had been turned on him and she was employing all of the dirty tricks he liked to use on people.

"That's it." Nadine let out an impatient huff as he finally shrugged the rig off, making sure his hands were behind his head as she kicked it out of his reach too. If one thing being military trained had taught her- much to Atoq's chagrin- it was to never pick something up. Picking it up meant taking her hand off the trigger or shooting herself in the foot- metaphorically, and she had no intention to give him the chance to snatch the gun off her again.

"You have what you need. Just shoot me already." Atoq demanded.

Nadine stepped back, pausing a moment to observe him. She was sure if looks could kill, they would have both killed each other already. She hated his guts, honestly speaking. "What? That eager to die?" She scoffed.

"No, I just can't stand looking at your face." Navarro taunted.

The Shoreline leader just sneered at him. "I have every reason to leave you here to freeze." She kicked the rig up and pulled it on over her coat, loosely fastening the straps with one hand since the other was still holding the gun.

"You could." The man affirmed with a stiff shrug, which suggested he had more to say but he seemed distracted looking across the room.

Nadine hesitated before gradually following his gaze towards what appeared to be the exit. The door was quite large, a high arch suggesting it had been built sometime during the construction of the Cathedral since the architecture matched, but just like everything in that damn hell hole there was debris blocking the way. Nothing she or anyone in her vicinity could lift.

"Or you could work with me and we can get the hell out of here before I kill you." Navarro bargained with a confident gleam in his dark eyes.

She didn't know why, but the proposal made her skin crawl with irritation- or maybe that was just the cold. Either way, she wanted to slap the smugness right off his face. "Does everyone who works with the Drake brothers have such a smart mouth?" She shoved the gun against his temple warningly. "Don't try anything funny. What makes you think I would work with a bastard like you? I can find my own way out."

Did she really think he worked with _Nathan Drake_? Wait- since when were they Drake _brothers_? It didn't matter, he had to focus on the present and one Nadine Ross.

"Can you really? Oh… well then, you won't be needing me. Just pull the trigger." Navarro knew he was playing Russian Roulette here. Nadine wouldn't hesitate to blow his brains out under any other circumstance, but here she was showing signs of hesitation. It might have been the concussion slowing down her thought process, but whatever it was, he was thanking his ancestors that she hadn't already done it. He just needed time. Time and a whole lot of recovery speed if he was hoping to get out of here with his leg half cramped.

Nadine held his gaze with a dark glare, seeming to wait for him to break and admit that he didn't know the way out so she could shoot him with a clear conscience of unwasted opportunity, however, there was no such indication. His game face was strong, and it made her eyes stray just a little bit as she mulled over her circumstance. This room hadn't been on the blueprint, and neither had the antechamber with the map of Madagascar, and yet Navarro and Talbot had found that room. Maybe they had something that Rafe and Nadine had missed- oh screw it.

"What are you doing?!" Navarro demanded to know as she suddenly shoved her hand behind his belt, yanking it free.

"What does it look like? I'm taking your belt." She announced without permission.

"I need that, you barbaric wench!" He was exasperated. What kind of person just walked around taking people's belts from their pants?

"Shush."

"Why don't you take my underwear too, huh?" He rumbled sarcastically.

"I might if you don't shut your mouth." She threatened, making his mouth immediately clamp shut. Apparently, she had convinced him she had a few screws loose in her head. Good. If that made him lose his smug attitude then she'll gladly be known as the 'barbaric wench'. "Wrists behind your back." She instructed, moving to secure the belt and loop it around his wrists firmly.

Navarro tested his bonds, feeling the swollen skin of his sprained wrist sting in protest, but he just settled on glaring at her like a kicked dog.

"Good boy." Nadine smirked, yanking him by the front of his shirt to get him to stand up which earned a lot of protest from the man since his jeans were loose on his hips now, but she didn't exactly feel sorry for him.

Atoq was fuming at this point, his face dusted red from both the cold and inherent embarrassment at this humiliating treatment, but he made no direct protest since that would be a show of weakness and when you had a gun pointed at your back, your loose trousers were the least of your concerns. Admittedly, he did need new ones since he had lost weight again after being able to walk and go out and about, but it wasn't like he had reserves in case some psychopath paramilitary leader decided to take his belt.

"Now then, smartass. How do we get out of here?" Nadine sighed, clicking the safety bot back on and slid the Desert-5 behind her waistband, pulling her coat down over it. At least now she didn't have to worry about him trying to snatch it from her.

Navarro huffed as though she was asking a stupid question, which in turn made her want to punch him, but she stayed her hand because smartasses got off on the anger they seemed to raise in people. "We go down." He stated, without an explanation.

"Are you kidding me?" She snapped at him, kicking him in the shin. "You think this is funny—" She began to rant, watching him hop around a moment to try and regain his balance.

"No! Now listen, you savage," He snarled at her. "You see those things sticking out the wall? There?" He tried to indicate.

Nadine let out a heavy breath before focusing on the wall to see what he meant. There were small ridges ascending at regular intervals. "Stairs?" She prompted.

"Broken ones. Useless." The man pointed out. "So, we're not going that way, but this isn't the bottom, that door is too tall, we can get under it." He explained, nodding towards the door he had been looking at earlier- before she snatched his belt. _Yes_ , he was still bitter about that.

"That's ridiculous. We'd have to break the ice."

"We're breaking plenty ice between us, you already skipped the dinner—ouch, putana!" Navarro's sarcastic remark was cut short by a sharp punch to his kidney. Okay, so she apparently didn't like puns either. "There's no way either of us can climb up there. If we stay here long enough, the ice will break anyway. And how long do you think it will be before either of us freeze to death, I'm already freezing my ass off!" He snapped, losing his patience with the abuse.

Nadine mused over his words. How did she know she could trust him? It was true that the temperature down here only seemed to be getting colder. "So… we swim then." She summarised. But then how long before hypothermia kicked in? Sure, she had some training swimming in the ocean in the winter through her military training, but then she had been able to change clothes and get a warm drink straight after. It was risky, risky as hell.

"You got any other suggestions?" Atoq asked, as though sensing her doubt.

"Yes. We wait until morning. Someone's bound to come check." She stated, feeling the fuzziness really start to settle into her head now and she shifted to move towards the more stable part of the chamber, pausing as she looked closely at the ice. It was true. The ice wasn't thick, but it certainly seemed to have lasted undisturbed for a while, the debris falling with them yesterday had frayed that strength and if she kicked aside some snow, she could make out the floor beneath it about half a metre below.

"You're deluded if you think anyone is coming for you." Navarro turned to watch her, seeming unamused by her decision to wait, he was clearly freezing and had even moved to retrieve his kicked coat.

Nadine didn't care. "When I ask for your opinion, I'll take it into consideration, but I didn't." She replied, settling down as comfortably as she could. Of course, she wouldn't let her guard down, but her concussion demanded rest.

Navarro didn't care, it wasn't like he actually gave a damn what happened to her, but he wasn't staying. All he had to do was wait her out so she didn't shoot him, get free and then escape without her. Heck, maybe even kill her for all the humiliation.

* * *

Rafe sighed, sitting up as he heard a knock on his door for the third time. "Can't get a moment's worth of damn rest around here with all these idiots- what?" He grumbled, pulling a night robe over his clothes as he wrenched door to the cabin open.

"Uh, good evening, boss." Orca greeted awkwardly, standing in the doorway. "You got a minute?"

Rafe had to resist the urge of claiming that Orca's disturbance deprived him of anything remotely good, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded him. "Don't waste my time. If this is about more explosives, it can wait 'til tomorrow." He stated evenly, keeping his tone devoid of emotion as he wore an empty smile.

"It's not that, boss," Orca told him. "It's about Miss Ross."

The younger man somehow knew this was coming, but he just silently made a motion for him to continue.

"Well, you see, boss… the men and I aren't exactly comfortable working so soon after she..."

"Died?" Rafe deadpanned, earning a short nod of confirmation which made him sigh. Rafe steeled himself before clapping a hand on Orca's shoulder. "Work accidents happen all time, I'm sure all you pros know that" He made to guide him inside, shutting the door behind him before leading him into the small space that made up the living room.

It was clear that the mercenary felt out of place and awkward.

"Sit." Rafe encouraged, moving to uncork the tumbler of vodka and pour two glasses. "Go on." He indicated the armchair which the big man clumsily eased himself into, muttering his thanks as he took one of the glasses passed to him. "Now… I know it ain't easy moving on so quickly, but I think you and I can both agree that we're running a very tight schedule here, especially with Sam Drake trying to snatch _our_ treasure from us. I don't think it's fair on Nadine, but I'm sure she wouldn't be happy to let all her efforts go to waste. Besides… you and the rest of Shoreline don't want to walk away with nothing, right?" He prompted.

Orca took a sip from his glass, swallowing it down. Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to be the one to confront Rafe on any matter, let alone this one, but everyone else seemed to look to him as the natural leader, being that he was Nadine's lieutenant. Knot was nowhere near as sophisticated with words, though no one would call Orca sophisticated either. "… You're right." He said uncertainly, perhaps feeling lighter when Rafe clapped his shoulder again encouragingly. "Yeah, yeah, you're right." He reaffirmed.

"So… what do you say we put that whole mess of emotions behind us and move on to greater things together?" Rafe offered, holding out his hand.

Like this, Orca would feel as though he was being spoken to as a partner, and the shift in leadership to someone who was already familiar to them would also ensure that Shoreline didn't rebel with discontent. Rafe Adler wasn't stupid. He knew people and he was an excellent businessman enough to know that they didn't swallow commands from him without a bitter rebuke from Nadine, so having Orca as the middleman was just that much more convenient. And now? With Nadine Ross out of the way, there was no one to interfere with the pace of his plans. Rafe was convinced he could do this and he would prove her wrong for ever doubting his abilities in comparison to Sam and Nathan.

"To our success then?" He toasted, smiling as he threw back his drink.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

I wasn't surprised by how easily Orca and Shoreline were swayed to Rafe's side at the end of Uncharted 4, because hearing the way that the mercenaries talk while you're walking around tells you a lot about their mentality and going for the gold. As for Rafe? I don't think he did anything wrong in buying their loyalty, I mean he didn't want to cut Nadine out and even tried to convince her to come with him so they could get the treasure together, but she was stubborn (even though she was right about him being blinded by his greed). That's just my opinion though, I don't hate Nadine, I actually like her to some extent.

As for her and Navarro teaming up? Well, the enemy of your enemy isn't always your friend, but the question is how will they put up with each other until they do get out? That's _if_ they get out.

 **PLEASE READ AND REVIEW, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!**


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